- Specification route
- 3.1.7
- Question bank
- 22 questions
- Course stage
- AS / Year 12
Sample questions
Which property of water makes it an important solvent in biological systems?
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Solvents need to interact electrically with solutes to pull them apart.
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Answer: It is a polar molecule, allowing it to surround and dissolve other polar molecules and ions.
Water is an important solvent in which metabolic reactions occur. Its polarity allows it to form hydration shells around ions and polar molecules, effectively dissolving them.
How does water's relatively high heat capacity benefit living organisms?
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Think about habitats like lakes and the temperature of warm-blooded animals.
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Answer: It buffers changes in temperature, providing a stable internal environment.
Water has a relatively high heat capacity, buffering changes in temperature. This means a lot of energy is required to raise the temperature of water, ensuring stable aquatic habitats and internal cellular temperatures.
What physical phenomenon is a direct result of strong cohesion between water molecules at the interface between water and air?
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This property allows insects like pond skaters to walk on water.
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Answer: Surface tension
Water has strong cohesion between water molecules; this produces surface tension where water meets air, acting like a 'skin'.
Which property of water provides a cooling effect with little loss of water through evaporation?
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This property relates to the energy required to turn liquid water into a gas.
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Answer: A relatively large latent heat of vaporisation
Water has a relatively large latent heat of vaporisation, providing a cooling effect with little loss of water through evaporation.
Why is the strong cohesion between water molecules biologically important in plants?
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Cohesion allows water to be pulled up through the xylem.
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Answer: It supports columns of water in the tube-like transport cells of plants
Water has strong cohesion between water molecules; this supports columns of water in the tube-like transport cells of plants and produces surface tension where water meets air.
Which of the following processes requires water as a metabolite?
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This reaction uses a water molecule to break chemical bonds.
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Answer: Hydrolysis reactions
Water is a metabolite in many metabolic reactions, including condensation and hydrolysis reactions. (Note: Condensation produces water, but hydrolysis specifically requires it as an active reactant).
Which of the following describes water's role as a metabolite?
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A metabolite is a substance involved directly in a metabolic reaction.
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Answer: It is used to break chemical bonds in hydrolysis reactions.
Water is a metabolite in many metabolic reactions, including condensation and hydrolysis reactions.
Where water meets air, strong cohesion between water molecules results in which phenomenon?
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This allows some small insects to walk on the surface of ponds.
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Answer: Surface tension
Water has strong cohesion between water molecules; this... produces surface tension where water meets air.
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