Water Flashcards
1
Q
How do hydrogen bonds occur between water molecules?
A
- water is a polar molecule
- slightly negative oxygen atoms attract slightly positive hydrogen atoms of other water molecules
2
Q
How is being a metabolite an important property of water?
A
used in:
- condensation
- hydrolysis
- photosynthesis
- respiration
3
Q
How is being a solvent an important property of water?
A
- allows metabolic reactions to occur faster in solution
- allows transport of substances e.g. nitrates in xylem or urea in blood
4
Q
How is having a high specific heat capacity an important property of water?
A
- buffers changes in temperature
- you can gain/lose a lot of heat without changing temperature
- temperature more stable than land which is a good habitat for aquatic animals
- helps organisms maintain a constant internal body temperature
5
Q
How is having a high latent heat of vaporisation an important property of water?
A
- allows effective cooling by evaporation of a small volume (e.g. sweat)
- helps organisms maintain constant internal body temperature
6
Q
How is being cohesive an important property of water?
A
- supports columns of water e.g. transpiration stream through xylem in plants
- produces surface tension supporting small animals to walk on water