The Biological Importance of Water as a solvent and as a medium for living Organisms.

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The Biological Importance of Water as a solvent and as a medium for living Organisms

Structure

Water is made up of 2 basic components, these being Oxygen and Hydrogen. Water has the molecular formula H2O.

We are about two-thirds water and require water to live. Life now, could not have evolved without liquid water and would die without it. For example, droughts cause famines and floods cause death and disease still to this day. Because of its importance, water is the most studied material on Earth.

Water in human biology

Water is very important as part of the diet of all humans and other living organisms. For humans, 60% of the water we take in comes from drinks, 30% comes from food and the remaining 10% is metabolic water, a product of respiration. Most substances found in the body, dissolve in water except fats and other large polymers such as fibrous proteins. Water is the medium in which substances are transported around the body. This shows how two thirds of the body is made up of water. It is the most important, yet basic substance ever known.

Cohesion

This is due to the hydrogen bonds that hold water molecules together. It is very important especially to plants which use the cohesiveness to take water in through the xylem. The cohesiveness gives the water the “stickiness” or surface tension and basically holds the droplet or droplets, together. This is due to the cohesive forces between the molecules. Cohesion is when water molecules are attracted to other water molecules. Water can also be attracted to other materials, which is called adhesion.

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The oxygen in water has a negative charge and the hydrogen has a positive charge. The hydrogen in one water molecule is attracted to the oxygen from other water molecules. This attractive force is what gives water its cohesive and adhesive properties.

An example of cohesion is when a drop of water lies on a flat surface, it does not break up, it remains whole due to the stickiness of the individual water particles.

Polar Molecules

Water is a polar molecule. This helps many substances to dissolve in water.

Molecules that have ends with partial ...

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