water

• properties -

  a metabolite, solvent, high heat capacity, large latent heat of vaporisation, strong cohesion
• metabolite -

  used in metabollic reactions including condensation and hydrolysis
• solvent -

  in which metabollic reactions occur
• high heat capacity -

  buffers changes in temp
• large latent heat of vaporisation -

  provides a cooling effect with little water loss in evaporation
• strong cohesion -

  supports columns of water and makes surface tension