Water..Water..Everywhere...The molecule crucial to all life

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What are the properties of water that make it so crucial to all living things??

Every cell in your body...is 70-90 percent water...

Water MoleculesWhat do you observe?

2 HYDROGEN ATOMS

ONE OXYGEN ATOM

ALL HELD TOGETHER BY COVALENT BONDS

Water has several special properties that make it so important to all living things

Water is a Polar Molecule

The poles, or ends of the molecule, have weak opposing charges.

Water’s Polar Nature Causes Cohesion & Adhesion

Cohesion - Similar forces attracted

Adhesion - Opposite forces attracted

It also makes it a great solventActually, it is the “universal solvent”

Water has surface tension

Hydrogen bonding and cohesive forces cause water molecules to “stick” to each other

How does water get from the roots of tall trees like redwoods to the very top leaves?

Capillary Action

The ability of water to move against the force of gravity, using the properties of adhesion and cohesion

WHAT DOES THESE TWO IMAGES HAVE TO DO WITH THE PROPERTIES OF WATER?

Water also has a high specific heat capacity

This means it takes a lot of energy to heat it, or to cool it off

This energy is actually necessary to break the hydrogen bonds

How does this relate to your body in terms of temperature?