1.

Describe the physical & chemical properties of water and state the
importance of the properties to the living organisms

Answer:

Physical Properties
Water is primarily a liquid under standard conditions, which is not predicted from
its relationship to other analogous hydrides of the oxygen family in the periodic
table, which are gases such as hydrogen sulfide. The elements surrounding oxygen
in the periodic table, nitrogen, fluorine, phosphorus, sulfur and chlorine, all combine
with hydrogen to produce gases under standard conditions. The reason that a
water form a liquid is that oxygen is more electronegative than all of these
elements with the exception of fluorine. Oxygen attracts electrons much more
strongly than hydrogen, resulting in a net positive charge on the hydrogen atoms,
and a net negative charge on the oxygen atom.
Water has a high specific heat capacity. This means that water can absorb a lot of
heat before it begins to get hot. The specific heat of water is 4.2 J g-1 C-1 .This is
much higher than that of most other liquids because of its extensive hydrogen
bonding. Heat energy must first be used to break the hydrogen bonds. This means
that water does not change temperature easily.
Besides that, water has a very high surface tension. In other words, water is
sticky and elastic, and tends to clump together in drops rather than spread out in a
thin film. This allows small organisms like the pond skater, to move over its surface.
Water molecules, being polar, readily form hydrogen bonds with other water
molecules. The molecules tend to stick together and cause cohesion.

Chemical Properties:

Water is the chemical substance with chemical formula H2O: one molecule of water
has two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to a single oxygen atom. Water is a
tasteless, odorless liquid at ambient temperature and pressure, and appears
colorless in small quantities, although it has its own intrinsic very light blue hue.
Ice also appears colorless, and water vapor (steam) is essentially invisible as a gas.
Oxygen attracts electrons much more strongly than hydrogen, resulting in a net
positive charge on the hydrogen atoms, and a net negative charge on the oxygen
atom. The presence of a charge on each of these atoms gives each water molecule
a net dipole moment. Electrical attraction between water molecules due to this
dipole pulls individual molecules closer together, making it more difficult to
separate the molecules and therefore raising the boiling point. This attraction is
known as hydrogen bonding.
All these water molecules attracting each other mean they tend to clump together.
This is why water drops are, in fact, drops. If it wasn't for some of Earth's
forces, such as gravity, a drop of water would be ball shaped ,a perfect sphere.

Importance of the properties of water to the living organisms

Surface tension of water is responsible for capillary action, which allows water
(and its dissolved substances) to move through the roots of plants and through the
tiny blood vessels in our bodies.
Properties of water allow water to moderate Earth's climate by buffering large
fluctuations in temperature.

Functions Examples
1. Cell Structure Important component of protoplasm (60-95%)
2. Solvents and Solvent for solutes, provides an aqueous
hydrolysis medium for biochemical reactions
Hydrolyses polysaccharides into
monosaccharide, proteins into amino acids, fats
into fatty acids and glycerol.
3. Metabolites Water is required for photosynthesis.
4. Medium for diffusion Enables diffusion of substances across
membranes such as in the alveolus.
5. Transport medium Blood plasma transports food, gases,
hormones, salts, antibodies and wastes.
Helps in osmoregulation of body fluids.
6. Support Hydroskeleton in earthworm. Turgid cells
give support to herbaceous plants.
Aqueous and vitreous humours give shape
and support to the eyeball
Amniotic fluid supports and protects the
foetus in the amniotic sac.
7. Lubricants and Mucus in alimentary canal.
secretions Synovial fluid in joints.
 Needed to form digestive juice,
lachrymal fluid (tears), sweat and nectar.
8. Habitat Provides an aquatic environment and support to
aquatic organisms like whales and other fishes.
9. Medium for Medium for swimming gametes, larval
movement, dispersal and stages, dispersal of fruits and seeds.
migration Water is needed to break the pericarp of
some fruits and their testa for germination.
10. Temperature control Evaporation of sweat cools the body
11. Transpiration Creates tension to pull water and dissolved
salts from the roots to the aerial parts.