GEOG 1403H Study Guide - Gerridae, Salt, Awi People
Document Summary
Water covers three quarters of the earth"s surface. It serves as a key ingredient of life on the planet. Water influences everything from how proteins fold inside cells to the weathering of seaside rocks. It"s a necessary input for photosynthesis and, ultimately, the entire food web. We"ll talk more about that later in the semester. Water is an essential physiological resource: it comprises on average 60% of our body weight. It takes part in many if not most of our chemical reactions. It dissolves and transports nutrients about the body. It"s also an essential societal resource: for irrigation. It is a simple molecule comprised of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen. Different h2o molecules are held together by hydrogen bonds. These bonds are highly dynamic, forming linkages that vary in strength and length. Their flexible strength accounts for a number of interesting properties. For one, surface tension, as demonstrated by this water strider.
