Significance of Water

Water possesses many unique qualities that are essential to maintaining viable living conditions.

 Approximately 70% of the cell’s internal environment is water-based

 It is the only substance occurring naturally in all three states (solid, liquid, gas) on the
Earth’s surface
 It is required for the anabolic construction of organic molecules (via condensation
reactions)
 Water is an important medium for metabolic reactions as it is essential to acid-base
neutrality and enzyme function

Biological Significance of Water Properties

Property Definition Example

The tendency of molecules of
the same kind to stick together

A measure of how difficult it is

to break the surface of a liquid

The tendency of two kinds of

molecules to stick together

When a substance evaporates,

the surface of the liquid that
remains behind cools down

Water has a greater ability to

resist temperature change
than other liquids

Water is less dense as a sloid

than as a liquid

Water can dissolve molecules

that are polar or charged