Sociology 2173A/B Chapter 7: Chapter 7 - Textbook.docx

• School: Western University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: Sociology 2173A/B
• Professor: Gaile Mc Gregor

Document Summary

Advantages of water: water remains liquid over a wider and higher range of temperatures, more likely that the substance can stay liquid through changes in the weather or climate, solid water floats, most substances are denser as solids, ice us less dense than water, ice insulates the water beneath, allowing it to remain liquid, which allows life to survive within it the charge separation of water molecules allows for types of chemical bonds that are not possible with the other liquids, positive and negative charges, affects the way water dissolves other substances. 3 major environmental requirements for habitability: must have a source of molecules from which to build living cells, met by most worlds, must have a source of energy to fuel metabolism, must have a liquid medium (most likely water) for transporting the molecules of life, most stringent, any world that meets this requirement stands a good chance of meeting the first 2 as well.