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Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of water in the body in terms of heat transfer?
What is the primary function of water in the body in terms of heat transfer?
Water helps to absorb and transfer heat from areas where it is generated to areas that need more heat or can dissipate excess heat.
What is specific heat capacity, and what is the value for water?
What is specific heat capacity, and what is the value for water?
Specific heat capacity is the heat required to raise the temperature of 1g of a material by 1°C (or K). The specific heat capacity of water is 4.18Jg−1K−1.
Why does water have a high specific heat capacity?
Why does water have a high specific heat capacity?
Water has a high specific heat capacity because hydrogen bonds restrict molecular motion, requiring a large amount of energy to break these bonds and raise its temperature.
How does the specific heat capacity of water affect aquatic habitats?
How does the specific heat capacity of water affect aquatic habitats?
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What is the main difference in energy expenditure between the ringed seal and the Arctic loon?
What is the main difference in energy expenditure between the ringed seal and the Arctic loon?
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Why does the ringed seal have an easier time maintaining its body temperature than the Arctic loon?
Why does the ringed seal have an easier time maintaining its body temperature than the Arctic loon?
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How does the viscosity of water affect the movement of organisms in aquatic habitats?
How does the viscosity of water affect the movement of organisms in aquatic habitats?
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What is the effect of water's thermal conductivity on submerged animals?
What is the effect of water's thermal conductivity on submerged animals?
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Why is it easier for the Arctic loon to maintain a temperature above that of the environment?
Why is it easier for the Arctic loon to maintain a temperature above that of the environment?
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What is the overall effect of water's physical properties on organisms living in aquatic habitats?
What is the overall effect of water's physical properties on organisms living in aquatic habitats?
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What is the role of water's high specific heat capacity in the human body?
What is the role of water's high specific heat capacity in the human body?
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Why is the specific heat capacity of water higher than that of air?
Why is the specific heat capacity of water higher than that of air?
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What is the consequence of water's high specific heat capacity on aquatic habitats?
What is the consequence of water's high specific heat capacity on aquatic habitats?
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How does the density of water affect the energy expenditure of the ringed seal?
How does the density of water affect the energy expenditure of the ringed seal?
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What is the effect of water's thermal conductivity on the ringed seal's body temperature?
What is the effect of water's thermal conductivity on the ringed seal's body temperature?
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Why is the ringed seal better adapted to its aquatic habitat than the Arctic loon?
Why is the ringed seal better adapted to its aquatic habitat than the Arctic loon?
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What is the effect of air's low thermal conductivity on the Arctic loon's body temperature?
What is the effect of air's low thermal conductivity on the Arctic loon's body temperature?
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How does the viscosity of water affect the movement of the ringed seal?
How does the viscosity of water affect the movement of the ringed seal?
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What is the main difference in the habitats of the ringed seal and the Arctic loon?
What is the main difference in the habitats of the ringed seal and the Arctic loon?
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What is the general consequence of the physical properties of water on organisms living in aquatic habitats?
What is the general consequence of the physical properties of water on organisms living in aquatic habitats?
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Study Notes
The Origins of Life
- The first organisms likely emerged in warm water, not a pond, and most hypotheses place the first cells in the oceans.
- The formation of the first cells involved a small volume of water becoming enclosed in a membrane, allowing chemical reactions to occur between solutes.
Properties of Water
- Water molecules (H2O) have covalent bonds between oxygen and hydrogen atoms, making them polar due to unequal sharing of electrons.
- This polarity gives water molecules a partial positive charge (hydrogen atoms) and a partial negative charge (oxygen atom), allowing them to attract and repel each other.
Hydrogen Bonds
- Hydrogen bonds are a type of intermolecular force that forms between two water molecules, with a slightly positive hydrogen atom in one molecule attracted to a slightly negative oxygen atom in another.
- Hydrogen bonds are weak, but due to the large number of water molecules, they have significant effects.
- Hydrogen bonds are responsible for water's unique properties, such as cohesion and surface tension.
Cohesion and Surface Tension
- Cohesion is the attraction between water molecules, which allows them to stick together.
- Surface tension is the property of water that causes it to behave as if it has an "elastic skin" at its surface.
- This is due to the attraction between water molecules and the air particles above them, causing them to minimize their surface area.
Adhesion and Capillary Action
- Adhesion is the attraction between water molecules and other substances, such as glass or cellulose.
- Capillary action is the movement of water through narrow tubes or spaces, driven by the release of energy as hydrogen bonds form between water and the tube material.
Solvent Properties
- Water is a polar solvent, allowing it to dissolve a wide variety of substances, including charged and polar molecules.
- Water's solvent properties are essential for metabolic processes and transport in living organisms.
Metabolism and Transport
- Cytoplasm is an aqueous solution, where water serves as a medium for metabolic reactions and the movement of solutes.
- In transport systems, water acts as a solvent for the transport of substances, such as minerals and sugars, in plants and animals.
Physical Properties of Water
- Buoyancy: The upward force exerted on an object by a fluid, which affects the density of living organisms and their ability to float or sink.
- Viscosity: The stickiness of a fluid, which affects how easily it can flow.
- Thermal conductivity: The rate at which heat passes through a material, which is high in water and affects the ability of aquatic organisms to maintain body temperature.
- Specific heat capacity: The heat required to raise the temperature of a material, which is high in water due to the energy required to break hydrogen bonds.
Importance of Water's Physical Properties
- Buoyancy affects the energy requirements for movement in different habitats.
- Viscosity affects the energy required for movement in water.
- Thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity affect the ability of organisms to maintain body temperature and resist changes in temperature.
The Origins of Life
- The first organisms likely emerged in warm water, not a pond, and most hypotheses place the first cells in the oceans.
- The formation of the first cells involved a small volume of water becoming enclosed in a membrane, allowing chemical reactions to occur between solutes.
Properties of Water
- Water molecules (H2O) have covalent bonds between oxygen and hydrogen atoms, making them polar due to unequal sharing of electrons.
- This polarity gives water molecules a partial positive charge (hydrogen atoms) and a partial negative charge (oxygen atom), allowing them to attract and repel each other.
Hydrogen Bonds
- Hydrogen bonds are a type of intermolecular force that forms between two water molecules, with a slightly positive hydrogen atom in one molecule attracted to a slightly negative oxygen atom in another.
- Hydrogen bonds are weak, but due to the large number of water molecules, they have significant effects.
- Hydrogen bonds are responsible for water's unique properties, such as cohesion and surface tension.
Cohesion and Surface Tension
- Cohesion is the attraction between water molecules, which allows them to stick together.
- Surface tension is the property of water that causes it to behave as if it has an "elastic skin" at its surface.
- This is due to the attraction between water molecules and the air particles above them, causing them to minimize their surface area.
Adhesion and Capillary Action
- Adhesion is the attraction between water molecules and other substances, such as glass or cellulose.
- Capillary action is the movement of water through narrow tubes or spaces, driven by the release of energy as hydrogen bonds form between water and the tube material.
Solvent Properties
- Water is a polar solvent, allowing it to dissolve a wide variety of substances, including charged and polar molecules.
- Water's solvent properties are essential for metabolic processes and transport in living organisms.
Metabolism and Transport
- Cytoplasm is an aqueous solution, where water serves as a medium for metabolic reactions and the movement of solutes.
- In transport systems, water acts as a solvent for the transport of substances, such as minerals and sugars, in plants and animals.
Physical Properties of Water
- Buoyancy: The upward force exerted on an object by a fluid, which affects the density of living organisms and their ability to float or sink.
- Viscosity: The stickiness of a fluid, which affects how easily it can flow.
- Thermal conductivity: The rate at which heat passes through a material, which is high in water and affects the ability of aquatic organisms to maintain body temperature.
- Specific heat capacity: The heat required to raise the temperature of a material, which is high in water due to the energy required to break hydrogen bonds.
Importance of Water's Physical Properties
- Buoyancy affects the energy requirements for movement in different habitats.
- Viscosity affects the energy required for movement in water.
- Thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity affect the ability of organisms to maintain body temperature and resist changes in temperature.
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Description
Explore the formation of the first cells and the evolution of life on Earth, from Charles Darwin's 'warm little pond' to modern hypotheses about the origins of life in the oceans.
