Biology and Geology.Teoría,
actividades y prácticas de laboratorio. 1º ESO Programa SELE . María
del Mar Vera Sánchez
Contents and activities
UNIT 5. The hydrosphere
5.1. PROPERTIES OF WATER
Water is a substance with unique PROPERTIES that takes part in many processes on our planet's surface and it is essential for living things.
| PROPERTIES | PROCESSES ON THE SURFACE | PROCESSES IN LIVING THINGS |
|---|---|---|
| A powerful solvent | It dissolves minerals of the crust. It carries dissolved salt to the ocean. |
It carries a lot of substances inside organisms. It is the main component of blood, lymph, saliva. |
| Absorbs Heat | The oceans absorb heat in summer and release it slowly in winter. | It prevents large variations of temperature. |
| Anomalous Expansion | It expands when it freezes. If water fills a crack in a rock and freezes, it can break the rock. | Ice is less dense than liquid water. The aquatic organisms can survive in the layer of water created under the ice. |
| Cohesion/adhesion | Water molecules are attracted to each other. Water also adheres to most surfaces and makes them wet. | Due to the process of capillary action, water rises through the conducting vessels in plants. |
