Water has a great number of roles in living organisms, this is largely
to do with the structure and covalent bonding in a single water
molecule, and between water molecules. Around 75% of the earth is
covered in water, and it is reffered to as the most important
Biochemical.
Its chemical symbol is: H2O
In a water molecule there are two bonding pairs and two non-bonding
pairs of electrons. These four pairs of electrons repel one another,
forming a tetrahedral pattern. Because they repel they are as far from
each other as possible.
The two electrons in each of the oxygen-hydrogen bond are not shared
equally. They are more strongly attracted to the oxygen. The bond is
polar, it has a 'negative part' (the oxygen) and a 'positive part'
(the hydrogen).The hydrogen bond is very weak, about ten times weaker
than a single covalent bond.
Water has importance inside cells and outside. This may be because of
its chemical and physical properties; it can be found naturally in all
three of its states. At room temperature water is in a liquid state,
It boils at 100ºC and freezes at 0ºC.
However its molecules are bonded together by hydrogen bonds, this
raises it's melting and boiling points, e.g. its boiling point would
be -120ºC rather than 100ºC.
Water can also be used as a solvent because of it polarity. Many
things will dissolve in it, and more reactions take place while in
solution with water. Often in organisms substances must be in solution
and water is the solvent.
Plants can only obtain mineral salts in solution so require water to
live. Also human digestion will only dissolve soluble foods, meaning
large starch molecules must be broken down into soluble sugars. Also
many organisms living in water spend most of their lives underwater,
yet they require oxygen to live and respire, and as water is such a
good solvent the required oxygen gas is dissolved in the water and the
organisms can use it.
Water is the most abundant component in any organism, proving its
Water is the life blood of every living creature on earth. Approximately 70 percent of the earth's surface is covered with water. Through the wonders of nature, water can take on many different forms. It is easy to understand the significance water plays in our lives, but it may be difficult to understand the water that exists below the earth's surface. This water is called groundwater.
How the Properties of Water are Related to Its Roles in Living Organisms and as a Living Environment for Living Organisms
The Biological Importance of Water as a Solvent and as a Medium for Living Organisms
The Role of Water in Living Organisms Water is one of the most abundant molecules on planet earth; it is found in vast amounts not only in earthly enviroments (oceans, lakes and rivers), but is also present in the atmosphere, and as solid ice in the two poles. Consequently it is rather logical that water plays an important role in biological life: the origins of life occurred in water and life itself wouldn't be able to continue in it's absence . I will now describe the structure of a water molecule. It consists of an oxygen atom covalently bonded to two other atoms of hydrogen. The two bonds form a 105 degrees angle with eachother, but for the reason that oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, the shared electron charge of the covalent bond is distributed more towards this atom, making the water molecule weakly polar.
The Biological Importance of Water Water is vital to all living organisms, as a constituent of cells, a reactant in metabolic reactions, and a solvent for aquatic organisms. Without water life on earth would not exist. Water also provides an environment for organisms to live in. Water consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom forming H2O. The two hydrogen’s and the oxygen bond together through covalent bonding, which is the sharing of electrons.
As the sustenance for all humankind, animals, plants and other living organisms, Water is the greatest natural resources on this planet and it is becoming scarcer and more of a necessity. Water is a basic need and not a want in the same way that without air to breathe, cannot sustain life. Safe, clean water and good sanitation is a right. Therefore, the right to safe, clean water means the right to life. According to United Nations human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, ethnic origin, color, religion, language or any other status. Based on UN definition I am confident to assert that safe, clean drinking water and good sanitation is a basic human
Since water is so soft, it is also commonly used in the body as a
Summary: Without water, there is no way that life would be sustainable on this planet. It is without a doubt our most valuable resource.
makes up 60 to 90 % of the fresh mass of all living things and is very
Each water molecule consists of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. The oxygen atom (or the apex of the water molecule) bears a slight electronegative charge while hydrogen possesses a more positive one. Because opposite charges attract, the water molecules are drawn together. When an oxygen atom is linked to a neighboring molecule's hydrogen atom, a bond called a hydrogen bond is formed. In an ice crystal the hydrogen bonds to give the shape of the crystal so that the grid of molecules surrounds relatively to large spaces. In a liquid form, water has no such spaces; so ice is less dense and will float on liquid water. If not for this, great bodies of water would freeze from the bottom up without the insulation of a top layer of ice and all life in the water would die.
It is the fact that water is polar and has hydrogen bonds that give it
Water is the most vital part of life. Water is needed from humans, to plants and other organisms, and to do basically everything. Water allows our bodily functions to work and to remove waste from our bodies. Plants need water to grow, and humans need plants to gr...
Williams (2006) define water as a clear, tasteless, odourless fluid. Water is a vital nutrient for good health posner (1998). Most of our body weight (60-70%) is made up of water. Wretlid (1999) explain that water is important in human body because, it help to control our body temperature, carries nutrients and water product from our cell, and it needed for our cells to function help us to lose weight, for the heath skin, fight infections, get rid of toxins, health heart, prevent join pains and arthritis, boost energy, prevent constipation and reduce chances of cancer. World Health Organisation recommended that, adults drink 8 glasses of fluid daily or more in hot weather or during physical activity. This fluid doesn’t have to be water alone.it can also obtain from juice, milk, soap as fruit and vegetables Garrow
Water facilitates the transportation system of the body. It is the medium by which all the other nutrients and other essential elements are distributed to every part of the body. Water also transports the waste from the body.
Water covers about seventy one percent of Earth’s surface. Earth is the only planet to have stable bodies of liquid water on its surface which is crucial for all known life forms. Water is a substance which acts as a solvent in which organic compounds can mix, and it is the substance which is thought to be necessary to facilitate the formation of life. There are many forms of water which include ice, liquid, and gas. Because water can exist as a gas, it can be stored in the atmosphere and be delivered as precipitate. Water also helps regulate the climat...