24 Questions
What percentage of Earth's water is freshwater?
3%
Which type of plants have evolved to survive in salty water?
Halophytes
What is the primary reason why ocean water is not directly usable for drinking or agriculture?
It's too salty
What percentage of Earth's water is accessible and usable for humans and animals?
1%
What is the primary function of water in biological processes?
Dissolving substances
What type of plants are adapted to survive in dry conditions?
Xerophytes
What is the percentage of Earth's surface covered by water?
3/4
What is the percentage of freshwater that is locked in glaciers and ice caps?
2%
What is a characteristic of alkaline substances?
pH more than 7
What is the result of the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base?
Salt and water
What is the composition of carbon dioxide?
Two oxygen atoms bonded to a single carbon atom
What is the surface tension of mercury?
Higher than any other liquid
What is the characteristic of basic salts?
They produce hydroxide ions in water
What is the definition of surface tension?
The elastic tendency of liquids to minimize their surface area
What are the conditions of standard temperature and pressure (STP)?
0°C and 100,000 Pa
What is the state of carbon dioxide at standard temperature and pressure (STP)?
Gas
What is the role of water in mechanical weathering?
It contributes to physical breakdown through freeze-thaw cycles
What type of plants require a moderate amount of water?
Mesophytes
What is water's role in the ecosystem?
It is the universal solvent and the basis of all life
What is an example of a diurnal behavior?
Foraging during the day
What is the role of water in chemical weathering?
It reacts with minerals in rocks to dissolve or form new minerals
What type of plants live in water?
Hydrophytes
What is the result of freeze-thaw cycles in mechanical weathering?
The rocks undergo physical breakdown
What is unique about epiphytes?
They get their water from the air
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.
This quiz covers the unique properties of water, including its ability to dissolve substances and its role in biological processes.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
