| explain the dipolar water molecule | although the molecule has no overall charge, the oxygen atoms have a slight negative charge, and hydrogen has slight positive ones. The water molecule has both positive and negative poles meaning that it is dipolar |
| explain specific heat capacity | as water molecules are cohesive it takes more energy (heat) to seperate them then would be needed if they did not bond to one another. without its hydrogen bonding, water would be a gas. important for organisms that live in water, prevents against sudden temprature variations. helping to regulate temprature and avoid extrems. |
| why would hydrogen bonding help water. | it allows water to have large, cohesive forces and these allow it to be pulled up through a tube, such as a xylem vessel |
| expain the latent heat of evaporation. | hydrogen bonding between water molecules means that it requiers a lot of energy to evaportate one gram of water. the energy is called latent heat of evaporation. water is described of having high latent heat of evaporation. a very effective means of cooling because body heat is used to evaporate water. |
| explain solvent action | the dipolar nature of the water molecule means that other polar molecules and ions readily dissolve in water. As a result water is a very good solvent and wide range of substances dissolve in it. |
| what is solvent action good for | transport (sugars in blood and phloem
removal of water (ammonia, urea)
secretions (digestive juices, tears) |
