Key Characteristics of Water

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What percentage of Earth's water is freshwater?

10%

3% (correct)

Which type of plants have evolved to survive in salty water?

Halophytes (correct)

Xerophytes

Mangroves

Cacti

What is the primary reason why ocean water is not directly usable for drinking or agriculture?

It's too deep

It's too salty (correct)

It's too cold

It's too polluted

What percentage of Earth's water is accessible and usable for humans and animals?

1% Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of water in biological processes?

Dissolving substances Signup and view all the answers

What type of plants are adapted to survive in dry conditions?

Xerophytes Signup and view all the answers

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

3/4 Signup and view all the answers

What is the percentage of freshwater that is locked in glaciers and ice caps?

2% Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of alkaline substances?

pH more than 7 Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base?

Salt and water Signup and view all the answers

What is the composition of carbon dioxide?

Two oxygen atoms bonded to a single carbon atom Signup and view all the answers

What is the surface tension of mercury?

Higher than any other liquid Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of basic salts?

They produce hydroxide ions in water Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of surface tension?

The elastic tendency of liquids to minimize their surface area Signup and view all the answers

What are the conditions of standard temperature and pressure (STP)?

0°C and 100,000 Pa Signup and view all the answers

What is the state of carbon dioxide at standard temperature and pressure (STP)?

Gas Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of water in mechanical weathering?

It contributes to physical breakdown through freeze-thaw cycles Signup and view all the answers

What type of plants require a moderate amount of water?

Mesophytes Signup and view all the answers

What is water's role in the ecosystem?

It is the universal solvent and the basis of all life Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a diurnal behavior?

Foraging during the day Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of water in chemical weathering?

It reacts with minerals in rocks to dissolve or form new minerals Signup and view all the answers

What type of plants live in water?

Hydrophytes Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of freeze-thaw cycles in mechanical weathering?

The rocks undergo physical breakdown Signup and view all the answers

What is unique about epiphytes?

They get their water from the air Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Water Characteristics

Water is a universal solvent, capable of dissolving more substances than any other liquid.
It is an odorless and tasteless substance that covers more than 3/4 of the Earth's surface.
Oceans hold 97% of Earth's water, making it saline and not directly usable for drinking or agriculture without desalination.
Only 3% of Earth's water is freshwater, and 2% of that is locked in glaciers and ice caps.
A mere 1% of freshwater is accessible and usable for humans and animals, found in rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers.

Plant Groups

Hydrophytes: Water-loving plants that live in water.
Xerophytes: Plants that grow under dry conditions.
Halophytes: Saltwater-loving plants that can live in salty water.
Mesophytes: Plants that need a moderate amount of water.
Epiphytes: Plants that get their water from the air.

Bases

Alkaline substances that buffer acidic conditions.
Characteristics: corrosive, soapy feel, pH > 7, turns red litmus paper to blue, and reacts with acids to form salt and water.
Contain hydroxyl ions (-OH).

Salts

Ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base.
Composed of cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negative ions) for electrical neutrality.
Basic salts: hydrolyze to produce hydroxide ions when dissolved in water.
Acid salts: hydrolyze to produce hydronium ions in water.
Neutral salts: neither acid nor basic salts.

Carbon Dioxide

A naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom.
Gas at standard temperature and pressure (STP).
STP: temperature of 273.15 K (0 °C, 32 °F) and an absolute pressure of 100,000 Pa or 0.9869 atm.

Weathering

Chemical Weathering: Water reacts with minerals in rocks, causing them to dissolve or form new minerals.
Mechanical Weathering: Water contributes to physical breakdown through processes such as freeze-thaw cycles.

Diurnal

Active during the day.
Most activity occurs when there is daylight available for foraging, hunting, or other behaviors.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

This quiz covers the unique properties of water, including its ability to dissolve substances and its role in biological processes.