Importance of Water in Biology
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Importance of Water in Biology

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Questions and Answers

What percentage of the Earth's surface is covered by water?

70%

How much water is absorbed by plant roots for every gram of organic matter produced?

Approximately 500 grams

What percentage of growing plant tissues is made up of water?

80 to 95%

What is the water content percentage range found in seeds?

<p>5 to 15%</p> Signup and view all the answers

What molecular structure forms the angles of the water molecule?

<p>105°</p> Signup and view all the answers

What charge characterizes the oxygen end of a water molecule?

<p>Partial negative charge</p> Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of water can be found in common vegetables like carrots and lettuce?

<p>85 to 95%</p> Signup and view all the answers

What forms the oxygen's partial positive charges in a water molecule?

<p>The hydrogen atoms</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of breaking hydrogen bonds in relation to surface tension?

<p>Breaking hydrogen bonds requires energy, which increases the surface area and thus contributes to surface tension.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does surface tension influence water transport in plants?

<p>Surface tension at evaporative surfaces creates physical forces that pull water through the plant's vascular system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is tensile strength in the context of water cohesion?

<p>Tensile strength is the maximum force per unit area that a column of water can withstand before breaking.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What experimental evidence supports the resistance of water in small capillaries under tension?

<p>Studies show that water in capillaries can resist tensions lower than -30 MPa, indicative of its tensile strength.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do gas bubbles affect the tensile strength of a column of water?

<p>Gas bubbles reduce the tensile strength of water columns and may lead to cavitation if allowed to expand.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What properties of water contribute to its role as a universal solvent?

<p>Water's small size and polar nature make it an effective solvent for a variety of substances, especially ionic ones.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way do hydrogen bonds enhance the solubility of ionic substances in water?

<p>Hydrogen bonds between water molecules and ions reduce electrostatic interactions, increasing the solubility of the ions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why do water droplets tend to form a spherical shape?

<p>Water droplets are spherical due to high surface tension, which minimizes surface area for a given volume.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What mechanism allows water to reduce the interactions between macromolecules in solution?

<p>Water forms a hydration shell around macromolecules, which minimizes their interactions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the dielectric constant of water compare to that of non-polar organic liquids?

<p>Water has a much higher dielectric constant than non-polar organic liquids like benzene and hexane.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of water's high specific heat capacity in relation to temperature stability in aquatic environments?

<p>Water's high specific heat capacity enables it to absorb large amounts of heat without significant temperature changes, stabilizing aquatic environments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain how the structural order of liquid water contributes to its thermal conductivity.

<p>The highly ordered structure of liquid water allows it to conduct heat efficiently away from localized heat sources.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is water considered a universal solvent?

<p>Water can dissolve many substances due to its polarity and ability to form hydration shells around ions and molecules.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do hydrogen bonds influence water's specific heat capacity?

<p>Hydrogen bonds require energy to break, so more energy is needed to raise the temperature of water compared to other liquids.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do high dielectric constants play in the solubility of charged solutes in water?

<p>High dielectric constants reduce the electrostatic forces between charged solutes, facilitating their dissolution in water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the impact of water's thermal properties on plant tissues.

<p>Water's high specific heat capacity provides thermal stability, protecting plant tissues from temperature fluctuations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does water's ability to quickly dissipate heat impact biochemical reactions within a cell?

<p>It prevents localized overheating by allowing heat to be dispersed throughout the cell, maintaining a stable internal temperature.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the heat of vaporization of water at 25°C, and what effect does this have on cooling?

<p>The heat of vaporization is about 44 kJ mol$^{-1}$, which leads to a cooling effect as energetic molecules escape during evaporation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain how evaporation from a moist surface contributes to cooling.

<p>Evaporation removes the most energetic molecules from the surface, leaving behind the less energetic, cooler molecules.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the heat of fusion for water and why is it significant?

<p>The heat of fusion for water is 335 J g$^{-1}$, indicating a high energy requirement to change ice to liquid water, due to strong hydrogen bonds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the high heat of fusion of water contribute to frost protection in citrus groves?

<p>Flooding the groves with water before freezing releases heat during fusion, thus protecting the trees from frost damage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does hydrogen bonding play in the viscosity of water?

<p>Hydrogen bonding increases water's resistance to flow, making its viscosity higher than that of most liquids.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is the ability of water to absorb heat from its surroundings important for cell temperature regulation?

<p>It allows cells to undergo biochemical reactions without significant temperature fluctuations, ensuring metabolic processes can occur efficiently.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what ways do the properties of water, such as heat of vaporization and viscosity, affect plant transpiration?

<p>The high heat of vaporization aids in cooling during transpiration, while viscosity influences the movement of water through plant tissues.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the viscosity of water at 20℃ expressed in centipoise?

<p>1.0 centipoise.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the viscosity of ethanol compare to that of water at 20℃?

<p>Ethanol has a viscosity of 1.2 centipoise, making it slightly more viscous than water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

At what temperature does water reach its maximum density?

<p>Near 4℃.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What unusual property of ice allows it to float on water?

<p>Ice is less dense than liquid water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does water play in maintaining pH balance within organisms?

<p>Water acts as a reservoir of H+ ions, helping to regulate pH levels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does increased temperature affect the viscosity of water?

<p>Viscosity decreases with increasing temperature.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is water's transparency significant for aquatic life?

<p>It allows sunlight to penetrate for photosynthesis and other biological processes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to water's volume as temperature changes from 4℃?

<p>The volume occupied by 1 g of water increases as temperature deviates from 4℃.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Importance of Water

  • Essential for life, covering 70% of Earth's surface and making up 95% of living organisms' matter.
  • Plants absorb approximately 500 grams of water for every gram of organic matter produced, highlighting water's vital role in cellular processes.
  • Water constitutes 80 to 95% of mass in growing plant tissues; common vegetables like carrots and lettuce contain up to 95% water.

Molecular Structure of Water

  • Composed of an oxygen atom covalently bonded to two hydrogen atoms, forming a 105° bond angle.
  • Oxygen's higher electronegativity gives it a partial negative charge, while hydrogen carries a partial positive charge, resulting in a neutral molecule overall.
  • Breaking hydrogen bonds to increase the air-water interface requires energy, contributing to water's surface tension.

Cohesion and Surface Tension

  • High surface tension influences the shape of the water surface and creates pressure within the liquid.
  • Surface tension supports water transport through plants, facilitating movement in vascular systems.
  • Cohesive forces grant water high tensile strength; it can withstand tensions over –30 MPa, significantly higher than most liquids.

Cavitation Phenomenon

  • The formation of gas bubbles in water under tension can lead to cavitation, collapsing the liquid tension and hindering water transport in plants.

Water as a Universal Solvent

  • Water dissolves a greater variety of substances than other solvents due to its small size and polar nature, making it effective for ionic and polar compounds.
  • Hydration shells form around ions and molecules, increasing solubility by neutralizing electrical attractions and facilitating dissolution.
  • Water's high dielectric constant enables it to be an excellent solvent for charged ions/molecules while poorly dissolving non-polar substances.

Specific Heat Capacity

  • Water has the highest specific heat capacity among common liquids, requiring significant energy to raise its temperature.
  • High specific heat and thermal conductivity allow water to effectively stabilize temperature in living tissues and environments.
  • Water dissipates heat quickly, preventing localized overheating and maintaining cellular temperature stability.

Heat of Vaporization

  • Water requires about 44 kJ/mol to evaporate, contributing to its cooling effect.
  • Evaporation cools surfaces by releasing energy from high-energy molecules, essential for temperature regulation in plants through transpiration.

Heat of Fusion

  • High heat of fusion (335 J/g) for water illustrates the energy needed to convert ice to liquid water, protecting citrus crops from frost during freezing.

Viscosity and Flow Dynamics

  • Water's viscosity is higher than many liquids due to hydrogen bonding, with a reference value of 1.0 centipoise at 20°C.
  • Viscosity decreases with increasing temperature, affecting liquid transport in plants.

Volume and Density

  • Water achieves maximum density near 4°C; ice is less dense, causing it to float and insulate aquatic life underneath.
  • This unique property prevents large bodies of water from freezing solid, essential for sustaining aquatic organisms.

Transparency of Water

  • Water's transparency allows visible light penetration, crucial for photosynthesis and supporting life forms like phytoplankton.

Water as a Buffer

  • Water ionizes into H+ and OH- ions, acting as a reservoir to maintain pH stability in biological systems.
  • It protects organisms from extreme pH changes, maintaining the narrow pH range essential for cellular function.

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Description

This quiz explores the critical role of water in sustaining life and its unique molecular structure. It covers topics such as water's significance in plant growth, its cohesion, and surface tension. Understand how water's properties influence biological processes and the environment.

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