In: Biology
A short answer question will require one paragraph or more to answer
What are the four emergent properties of water that play an important role in the lives of living organisms?
Generally upto 60-70% of body is filled with Water and provides fluid environment. Water plays an important role in the living organisms due to its special properties.
Water is a polar molecule due to Oxygen which is more electronegative and creates partial charges (negative on oxygen and positive on hydrogens). Due to this charges water molecules interact with each other by hydogen bonds and exhibit the following properties.
Cohesive forces which brings water molecules close and forms closed droplets which helps in carrying nutrients. Due to adhesive forces water molecule binds to surface and helps in the capillary action.
In water most of the components gets dissolved and acts, hence called universal solvent, and helps in absorption of nutrients in the body.
Due to its high temperature resistance and vapourisation temperatures, water helps in cooling of body by removing excessive heat during evaporation and cannot easily vapourised so it maintains the fluidity of the body.
Due to all these properties water plays very crucial role in maintenance of life. Even ice is less denser than water leads to float on surface thus providing space for the aquatic life.