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All 12 Flashcards — Water as a solvent and the chemistry of life
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Question
Define solvent.
Answer
A liquid that **dissolves** another substance to form a solution. In cells the solvent is **water**.
Question
Define solute.
Answer
A substance that **dissolves** in a solvent.
Question
Why is water a good solvent?
Answer
It is **polar** — its δ+ and δ− ends are attracted to charged/polar particles and surround them, pulling them into solution.
Question
Which kinds of substance dissolve in water?
Answer
**Polar** molecules (e.g. glucose, amino acids) and **ionic** substances (salts, mineral ions).
Question
Which kinds of substance do NOT dissolve in water?
Answer
**Non-polar** substances such as **fats and oils** (no charged parts for water to grip).
Question
Define hydrophilic.
Answer
“Water-loving” — a **polar/charged** substance that **dissolves** in water.
Question
Define hydrophobic.
Answer
“Water-fearing” — a **non-polar** substance that does **not** dissolve in water.
Question
Name two life processes that depend on water being a solvent.
Answer
**Metabolism** (reactions between dissolved solutes) and **transport** (carrying dissolved substances).
Question
How are dissolved substances transported in plants?
Answer
In **xylem** (water + dissolved minerals) and **phloem** (dissolved sugars).
Question
How does a mineral element pass along a food chain?
Answer
It is taken up by plants as **ions dissolved in soil water**, then passed to **animals that eat the plants**.
Question
Why can a copper shortage in soil cause a deficiency in a grazing animal?
Answer
Low soil copper → grass takes up **little copper** → the animal eats that grass and takes in **too little copper**.
Question
Why must a mineral dissolve before a plant takes it up?
Answer
Roots absorb minerals as **ions in solution**, so the mineral must first **dissolve** in the soil water.
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