Water. Flashcards
1
Q
What type of molecule is water
A
Polar. It attracts to each other to form hydrogen bonds.
2
Q
List some properties of water
A
Medium for metabolic reactions
Dilutes toxic substances
Allows ionic compounds to dissolve
Organisms to absorb minerals
Excellent solvent
3
Q
Why is water ideal as a transport medium
A
It is a good solvent and has high specific latent capacity
4
Q
As well as polar, what is water
A
Cohesive ( helps drag water up xylem) and has surface tension so insects can live on top
5
Q
How is water a stable environment
A
It has a high specific latent capacity and a high latent heat of vaporisation as it breaks a lot of bonds
6
Q
Why is water an unusal solid
A
It is less dense when solid as it is a giant ionic lattice and also insulates the water underneath
