2.4: Water and it's functions

Anatomy and Physiology4 CardsCreated 3 months ago

Water has key properties like high specific heat capacity, high latent heat of vaporisation, and strong cohesion due to hydrogen bonding—making it vital for temperature regulation and transport. It also plays essential roles in metabolism, acts as a universal solvent, and provides a medium for biochemical reactions.

Properties of water

  1. High specific heat capacity- acts as a buffer against sudden temperature changes in organisms

  2. High latent heat of vaporisation- sweating is an effective cooling method for organisms

  3. Cohesion- hydrogen bonding leads to large cohesive forces which allow water to be pulled through a tube

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Key Terms

Term
Definition

Properties of water

  1. High specific heat capacity- acts as a buffer against sudden temperature changes in organisms

  2. High latent heat of vaporisati...

water in metabolism

  • used in hydrolysis and condensation reactions

  • chemical reactions take place in aqueous medium

  • water used in p...

water as a solvent

  • carbon dioxide and oxygen

  • wastes such as urea and ammonia

  • inorganic ions and small hydrophilic molecules

    <...

other important features of water

  • its evaporation allows organisms to control their temperature and cool themseleves

  • not easily compressed so provides support...

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TermDefinition

Properties of water

  1. High specific heat capacity- acts as a buffer against sudden temperature changes in organisms

  2. High latent heat of vaporisation- sweating is an effective cooling method for organisms

  3. Cohesion- hydrogen bonding leads to large cohesive forces which allow water to be pulled through a tube

water in metabolism

  • used in hydrolysis and condensation reactions

  • chemical reactions take place in aqueous medium

  • water used in photosynthesis

water as a solvent

  • carbon dioxide and oxygen

  • wastes such as urea and ammonia

  • inorganic ions and small hydrophilic molecules

  • enzymes, whose reactions take place in solution

other important features of water

  • its evaporation allows organisms to control their temperature and cool themseleves

  • not easily compressed so provides support

  • transparent allowing aquatic plants to photosynthesise