1 Lifestyle, health and risk – A*
Extensions: answers and responses
■ A* Extension 1.1: Water, a unique molecule
with properties that ‘life’ depends on!
Water and life – a summary
Property of water
A liquid at room temperature, water dissolves
more substances than any other common liquid.
Much heat energy is needed to raise the
temperature of water.
Evaporation requires a great deal of heat energy.
Much heat energy has to be removed before
freezing occurs.
Ice is at maximum density at 4°C.
Surface water molecules orientate with hydrogen
bonds formed inwards over the water surface.
Water molecules slide past each other easily.
Water molecules adhere to surfaces.
A water column does not break or pull apart
under tension.
Water is transparent.
Edexcel Biology for AS Dynamic Learning CD-ROM
Significance for living organisms
Liquid medium for living things and for the
chemistry of life.
Aquatic environment slow to change temperature.
Bulky organisms have stable temperatures.
Evaporation causes marked cooling. Much heat is lost
by evaporation of a small quantity of water.
Cell contents and water in aquatic environments
slow to freeze in cold weather.
Ice forms on the surface of water, insulating the water
below, and allowing much aquatic life to survive
‘freezing’ conditions.
Water forms droplets and rolls off surfaces.
Certain animals exploit surface tension to move.
Water flows easily through narrow capillaries (low
viscosity).
With low viscosity, allows water to move through tiny
spaces e.g. in soils, spaces in cells walls.
Water can be lifted by forces applied at the top
e.g. drawn up xylem vessel of tree trunk by force
generated in transpiration from leaves.
Aquatic plants can photosynthesise at some depth in
water.
© Hodder Education 2008