Water

Question 1

What property of water allows it to have the role as a solvent?

Answer 1

Water is a polar molecule
This allows water molecules to bind to polar solute molecules and dissolve them

Question 2

What property of water allows it to have the role of a transport medium

Answer 2

Water is a polar molecule.
water molecules will bind to polar solute molecules and dissolve them
This allows dissolved compounds to be transported in and out of the cell via water

Question 3

Why is the density of water important

Answer 3

Ice is less dense than water
This creates a habitat for species as it creates an insulating layer below the ice

Question 4

Why is it important that water has a high specific heat capacity?

Answer 4

This makes water a stable environment as its temperature does not change rapidly

Question 5

Give two reasons why water is an ideal habitat for an amphibian

Answer 5

1. High density (so the amphibian can float)
2. High specific heat capacity (for stable environment)
3. Good solvent (for necessary nutrients w.g. oxygen)

Question 6

What property of water makes it a good coolant?

Answer 6

Its high specific latent heat of vaporisation

this means that a high amount of energy is required to break H bonds and for it to turn for a liquid to a gas. this means that even when only a little water evaporates, it takes with it a great amount of heat which also rises which creates the cooling effect

Question 7

What property of water causes it to have a high surface tension?

Answer 7

Strong cohesion between water molecules

Question 8

What causes strong cohesion between water molecules?

Answer 8

Hydrogen bonds between water molecules

Question 9

What causes adhesion between water and other molecules

Answer 9

Hydrogen bonding between water and other molecules

Question 10

What causes capillary action

Answer 10

Cohesion and Adhesion

Question 11

What does capillary action help with in plants?

Answer 11

Helps water to travel up the xylem against the force of gravity

Question 12

What is capillary action

Answer 12

A process caused by adhesion and cohesion which allows water to rise up a narrow tube against the force of gravity

Question 13

What causes water to have a high specific heat capacity?

Answer 13

Hydrogen bonds between water molecules require a great amount of energy to overcome

Question 14

Water’s solvent properties allow for the [blank] of essential nutrients in the aqueous cytosol

fill in the blank

Answer 14

transportation

Question 15

Define latent heat of vaporisation

Answer 15

The amount of energy required to convert 1g of water from liquid to gas without a change in temperature