27 Sep 2022

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What is water, and why is water essential to life?

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Water is a chemical compound made up of oxygen and hydrogen. Water is one of the essential components in the survival of living organisms, both plants and animals. Water comprises the largest percentage of the human body. According to scientists, water occupies at least 60 to 70% of the human body (Fowler et al., 2018) . To determine the existence of life on other planets, researchers explore water availability on various planets. Without water, there is no possibility of plant and animal life survival. Water occurs in abundance in the cells of living things. Water has various properties that make it essential for the survival of many species in the world. 

Water is a polar compound. Water is made up of two elements oxygen and hydrogen. The water molecule has no charge. The polarity of water indicates a partial positive charge from the hydrogen atom and a partial negative charge from the oxygen atom (Fowler et al., 2018) As a result, water can attract both positive and negative elements. Water molecules attract each other due to the polar characteristic. In the cells of living things, water molecules' polar nature attracts water molecules together to form cells, giving them a unique shape. 

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The second feature of water is the ability to stabilize temperatures. The existence of hydrogen bonds in water allows for the release and absorption of heat. Water is a unique substance that can absorb relatively high temperatures and remain at a lower temperature. This feature enables living things to regulate their body temperatures (Fowler et al., 2013) . When the temperatures are high, the human body responds by losing heat to produce a cooling effect. In human beings, for instance, heat is lost through the process of sweat evaporation. In plants, the temperature is regulated through evaporation as plants lose water through the leaves. 

The third feature of water is cohesiveness. As mentioned earlier, water has a partial positive and a partial negative charge. This implies that the water molecules are held together by cohesive forces while water molecules and molecules of other elements are held together by adhesive forces. Water's cohesive nature generates the adhesive characteristic, which occurs between water molecules and molecules of other compounds and molecules (Fowler et al., 2013) . This property is essential in the survival of living things. In plants, this property explains why water moves up the stem from the roots to the leaves. Water molecules are attracted to the cells in the plant stem walls, enhancing the plant's survival by facilitating water transportation. 

References 

Fowler, S., Roush, R., & Wise, J. (2018). Concepts of Biology: OpenStax. 

Fowler, S., Roush, R., Wise, J., & Stronck, D. (2013).  Concepts of Biology . OpenStax College, Rice University. 

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StudyBounty. (2023, September 14). What is water, and why is water essential to life?.
https://studybounty.com/what-is-water-and-why-is-water-essential-to-life-essay

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