Importance of water

Reactions

A metabolite in hydrolysis reactions

High specific heat capacity

So buffer for temperature changes

A solvent

So metabolic reactions can occur OR allowing transport of substances

Large latent heat of vaporisation

So provides cooling effect

Cohesion (in plants)

So supports columns of water (in plants)

Cohesion (in small organisms)

So produces surface tension supporting small organisms

Importance of water

A metabolite in hydrolysis reactions, high specific heat capacity so buffer for temp changes, a solvent for metabolic reactions, large latent heat of vaporisation so cooling effect, cohesion so supports columns of water, cohesion so produces surface tension supporting organisms