Water

[zeiffelz]

What are some properties of water which is essential to lifeform?

[Bryn]

provides a medium in which many essential reactions can occur.

 

Provides the electrons required during photosynthesis, which in turn produces the oxygen given off that is required by other organisms

 

Acts as a transport medium for nutrients, waste, and heat.

 

Provides strength and shape to eukaryotic cells (e.g. mammalian cells).

 

Provides a mean of temperature control, by distruputing heat as above, and in the removal of heat by sweating/evaporation.

[aommaster]

To add on to that, it is the main reason why diffusion takes place. The oxygen can pass across a damp surface (water content in it) to reach the red blood cells.

[zeiffelz]

Thank you for ur replies!! But another qn how do the chemical and physical attributes of water help these processes of water? Hmm i think of it would be the hydrogen bonding.

[Skye]

Yeah, and the fact it can act as an acid or base, has a high heat capacity, ice floats, it tastes good with tea, etc.

[YT2095]

it`s also an excellent ION carrier, and it`s dipole moment is changable at different temperatures, as well as being one of the most universal solvents.

[Bryn]

Basicaly it is because its a polar molecule. The 2 hydrogren are partially positive and the oxygen is partially negative (O has greater electronegativity than H). This allows it to dissolve other polar molecules. It also gives electrophiles and nucelophiles something to attack so that the water can be split.

 

As it is polar it also results in hydrogen bonds between the water molecules, making it liquid at room temperature, when the other group 6 hydrides are gas (well SO2 is anyway, the rest are as rare as elvis shit so it don't really matter bout them), and it needs to be liquid to do it's job.

[admiral_ju00]

Basicaly it is because its a polar molecule. The 2 hydrogren are partially positive and the oxygen is partially negative (O has greater electronegativity than H). This allows it to dissolve other polar molecules. It also gives electrophiles and nucelophiles something to attack so that the water can be split.

 

As it is polar it also results in hydrogen bonds between the water molecules' date=' making it liquid at room temperature, when the other group 6 hydrides are gas (well SO2 is anyway, the rest are as rare as elvis shit so it don't really matter bout them), and it needs to be liquid to do it's job.[/quote']

 

in other words(non technical): one thing that makes water so valuable is because of it's hydrogen bonds.