Chapter 2 : Water
Chapter two is entirely about the intricacies of water. It has many unique qualities and
functions that make it perfect and essential for sustaining life. For example, without the
hydrogen bonds it would be gas at room temperature, but because of its chemical makeup and
polar structure it is exceptionally good at absorbing heat. This means that aquatic organisms
live in an environment that is much less sensitive to temperature change, they are adapted to
this and need less energy to swim in cold water than hot water water. When the temperature
does rise, it is an exceptional solvent making it more dense because of dissolved ions. This is
partly why ice floats, the hydrogen bonds and dissolved ions means that liquid water is more
dense than frozen water. This is essential to aquatic life surviving winter. Capillary action also
works because of the hydrogen bondings, hydrophobia pulls water higher enabling plants to
survive.I did not entirely understand the last ¼ of the chapter discussing viscosity and inertia. I
liked the author's example that bacteria and microorganisms battle inertia and it is equivalent to
a human swimming in maple syrup. I am looking forward to a more in depth explanation in
lecture so I can understand viscosity, inertia, the Reynolds number, and Brownian motion
thoroughly.
Chapter two is entirely about the intricacies of water. It has many unique qualities and
functions that make it perfect and essential for sustaining life. For example, without the
hydrogen bonds it would be gas at room temperature, but because of its chemical makeup and
polar structure it is exceptionally good at absorbing heat. This means that aquatic organisms
live in an environment that is much less sensitive to temperature change, they are adapted to
this and need less energy to swim in cold water than hot water water. When the temperature
does rise, it is an exceptional solvent making it more dense because of dissolved ions. This is
partly why ice floats, the hydrogen bonds and dissolved ions means that liquid water is more
dense than frozen water. This is essential to aquatic life surviving winter. Capillary action also
works because of the hydrogen bondings, hydrophobia pulls water higher enabling plants to
survive.I did not entirely understand the last ¼ of the chapter discussing viscosity and inertia. I
liked the author's example that bacteria and microorganisms battle inertia and it is equivalent to
a human swimming in maple syrup. I am looking forward to a more in depth explanation in
lecture so I can understand viscosity, inertia, the Reynolds number, and Brownian motion
thoroughly.
