Water/ monomers + polymer

Question 1

What does polar mean

Answer 1

Water is slightly charged because of a distribution of electrons.

Question 2

Solvent

Answer 2

water is polar (slightly charged) so it will dissolve any
1. Charged molecules e.g. salt ions
2. Any other ‘polar’ molecules e.g. glucose, amino acids.
Therefore Water can act as a medium for biochemical reactions in cells / organelles.

Question 3

TRANSPORT

Answer 3

dissolved biological molecules can be transported around organisms e.g. blood stream in mammals, xylem / phloem in plants. The transpiration stream in plants works as all the water molecules are hydrogen bonded to each other along the entire column.

Question 4

SURFACE TENSION

Answer 4

water is cohesive and hydrogen bonds to other water molecules. This creates a surface tension on ponds and a habitat for some organisms e.g. pond skaters

Question 5

SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY

Answer 5

liquid water will have many hydrogen bonds within it. Therefore a lot of energy is required to raise water by 1 oC and it cools slowly. Large bodies of water are thermally stable and buffer changes in temperature. This stabilises aquatic habitats.

Question 6

LATENT HEAT OF VAPOURISATION

Answer 6

due to extensive hydrogen bonds, a small volume of water requires a lot of energy to break all of these and evaporate. Therefore a small volume of water can have a big cooling effect in mammals.

Question 7

ICE

Answer 7

water freezes at 0oC where all molecules have 4 hydrogen bonds. This solid / ice structure is less dense than liquid water so it floats.
This can
1. Thermally insulate liquid water below
2. Provide a habitat on the surface

Question 8

METABOLITE

Answer 8

water is a chemical USED AND PRODUCED IN CHEMICAL REACTIONS. It is used in photosynthesis to help make sugars. It is used to break biochemical bonds (HYDROLYSIS) and is released when some bonds are made (CONDENSATION)

Question 9

TRANSPARENT

Answer 9

this enables aquatic plants to photosynthesis

Question 10

MONOMERS

Answer 10

single, small, soluble, repeating units that can be bonded together to form a much longer chain, or polymer.

Question 11

POLYMER

Answer 11

large, insoluble molecule (chains and / or branched) made up from many monomers