Biology: Water's Properties and Biological Functions

Study Notes

Water's Unique Properties

Water has a high latent heat of vaporization, which means a lot of heat is required to change water from a liquid to a gas.
When water evaporates, it carries heat energy away from the surface, cooling it down, which helps living organisms regulate their temperature.
This property makes water a good habitat, as the temperature under water is more stable than on land, and the water inside organisms remains at a stable temperature, maintaining a constant internal body temperature.

Cohesion and Adhesion

Cohesion is the attraction between molecules of the same type, and water molecules are very cohesive because they are polar.
Cohesion creates surface tension in water.

Water's Polar Molecule Structure

Water is a polar molecule due to the unequal distribution of charges on the molecule, with one end being more negative and the other more positive.
The partial negative end of the oxygen atom is attracted to the partial positive end of the hydrogen atom on an adjacent molecule, forming hydrogen bonds.

Hydrogen Bonding

Hydrogen bonds form between the partially negatively charged oxygen atom and the partially positively charged hydrogen atom in water molecules.
Hydrogen bonds give water its unique properties.

Water's Biological Role

Water is an important metabolite, as many metabolic reactions involve condensation or hydrolysis reactions, which either require or produce water as a by-product.
Water is a good solvent, allowing living organisms to take up useful substances dissolved in water and transport them around the body.

Description

This quiz covers the properties of water and its vital role in biological functions. Topics include water as a polar molecule, hydrogen bonds, and the chemical and physical properties of water in relation to its biological functions.