Properties of Water Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What is high specific heat?

Water has a high specific heat (heat capacity), meaning it resists changing its temperature.

How does high specific heat benefit organisms?

It helps stabilize environmental temperatures and the temperature of organisms.

What is high heat of vaporization?

It is the amount of heat energy absorbed for a liquid to evaporate.

What is a benefit of high heat of vaporization to organisms?

Evaporation of water cools body surfaces. Signup and view all the answers

What are adhesion and cohesion?

Adhesion is water molecules sticking to other types of molecules, while cohesion is water molecules sticking to other water molecules. Signup and view all the answers

How do adhesion and cohesion benefit organisms?

They create surface tension and facilitate capillary action in plants. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to water when it freezes?

Water expands and becomes less dense, causing ice to float. Signup and view all the answers

How does water expanding when it freezes benefit organisms?

Lakes and ponds do not freeze solid, allowing aquatic organisms to survive through winter. Signup and view all the answers

Why is water considered a very good solvent?

Water dissolves many substances due to its polarity. Signup and view all the answers

How does being a good solvent benefit organisms?

It allows for the easier transport of dissolved substances, facilitating nutrient movement into cells and waste out. Signup and view all the answers

What is transparency in relation to water?

Transparency is the ability of light to pass through water. Signup and view all the answers

How does transparency benefit organisms?

It allows light to reach chloroplasts in algae and aquatic plants for photosynthesis. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Properties of Water

High Specific Heat
- Water has a high specific heat, meaning it can absorb or lose a significant amount of heat energy without undergoing drastic temperature changes.
- This property allows water to resist temperature fluctuations, providing stability to environmental temperatures and protecting organisms.
Benefits of High Specific Heat
- Helps to moderate temperatures in air, land, and bodies of water, creating stable habitats.
- Maintains a consistent internal temperature within organisms, supporting homeostasis.
High Heat of Vaporization
- A large amount of heat energy is needed for water to evaporate, which means water can absorb heat during evaporation.
- This property enables effective cooling mechanisms when water transitions from liquid to vapor.
Benefits of High Heat of Vaporization
- Evaporation of water results in cooling of body surfaces through evaporative cooling, which is essential for temperature regulation in organisms.
Adhesion and Cohesion
- Water exhibits both cohesion (attraction between water molecules) and adhesion (attraction between water molecules and different substances) due to hydrogen bonding.
- This "stickiness" of water contributes to various ecological and biological processes.
Benefits of Adhesion and Cohesion
- Surface tension allows certain insects, like water striders, to walk on water and enables small objects to be supported on its surface.
- Capillary action aids in the movement of water in plants, assisting nutrient transport through xylem as evaporation from leaves pulls water upward.
Water Expands When It Freezes
- Ice is less dense than liquid water, causing it to float; this characteristic occurs when water freezes and expands.
Benefits of Water Expansion Upon Freezing
- In colder climates, lakes and ponds do not freeze solid due to ice floating on the surface, insulating the water below and allowing aquatic life to survive winter conditions.
Water as a Solvent
- Water's polarity allows it to dissolve many ionic and polar covalent compounds, making it an excellent solvent; however, it does not dissolve nonpolar covalent compounds like fats and oils.
Benefits of Water As a Solvent
- Facilitates the transport of dissolved nutrients and waste in and out of cells, promoting necessary chemical reactions and metabolic processes.
Transparency of Water
- Water is transparent, allowing light to penetrate, which is crucial for ecosystem health and productivity.
Benefits of Transparency
- Light penetration enables photosynthesis in aquatic plants and algae by reaching chloroplasts, supporting the base of the aquatic food web.

Description

Explore key concepts and definitions related to the properties of water with these flashcards. Understand the significance of high specific heat and its benefits to organisms. Perfect for students studying biology or environmental science.