electronegative pole of one water molecule attracts the electropositive pole of another water molecule. attractive force is called a hydrogen bond. much weaker than covalent bonds.
hydrogen bonds- transient
easily made and easily broken
high specific heat capacity- hydrogen bonds in water
require alot of energy to heat up and alot of energy to cool down. this means that aquatic habitats are thermally stable with less rapid temperature changes- allow them to move and hunt still even in cold temperatures
hydrogen bonds make water liquid at room temperature
high latent heat of evaporation
takes a lot of energy for liquid water to turn into a gas. this makes is more effective at cooling the body- sweating and panting
water molecules show cohesion
important for surface tension and transpiration- pondskaters
polarity
ionic compounds will dissolve faster making it a good solvent for chemical reactions and a good transport medium.
directionality
water molecules become aligned- when water freezes to form ice, it floats on top of the water s it is less dense due to ices crystal lattice structure. important in insulation- organisms can still hunt and find food.
water is a useful solvent in organisms because most biological reactions take place in a solution and dissolved substances can be transported around the body
ionic compounds dissolve in water because the positive and negative parts become attracted to the different parts of the water molecule
