Each of us has probably heard the phrase that human body mostly consists of water. Have you ever wondered why this is so? Why do you need such a large amount of liquid and in general what function does water perform in the body?
Properties
Water has the following properties:
- first of all, it is a good solvent (both for nutrients and toxic ones);
- fluidity;
- has high heat capacity and thermal conductivity;
- may evaporate;
- is capable of hydrolyzing other substances (that is, substances decompose under its action or are broken down in it).
Thanks to these basic properties, water performs a number of functions in the body of every living creature. Let's take a closer look at them.
Functions of water in the body
The human body is on average 75% water. This ratio changes with age, unfortunately, downwards.
Water, being the main component of all body fluids, in particular blood, which contains more than 90% of it, performs the following main functions:
- regulation of body temperature;
- removal of waste, toxins and;
- transport of nutrients and oxygen;
- absorption and digestion of food;
- transport function;
- cushioning joints and preventing their friction;
- maintaining cell structures;
- protection of tissues and internal organs;
- improvement of metabolism.
The functions of water in thermoregulation processes are to ensure constant body temperature at the cellular level through evaporation and sweating. Thanks to its ability to carry quite a lot of moisture, circulating in the human body, it takes it where it is in excess and adds it where it is not enough.
The shock-absorbing functions of water in the body are ensured due to its high content in the synovial fluids of the joints. This prevents friction of the articular surfaces during loads and joint work, and also serves as a certain protective buffer in case of possible falls and injuries.
Water performs the function of transporting the necessary compounds due to its large volume. Thus, it can penetrate everywhere, even into the intercellular spaces, delivering the necessary organs and tissues and removing the products of their vital activity.
It is generally accepted that mental health directly depends on the amount of fluid consumed. Dehydration threatens not only a loss of strength, energy, headaches and dizziness, but also a decrease in performance, memory and the ability to concentrate on the necessary information.
Also, given that with age the amount of water as a component of the body decreases, scientists assume some kind of relationship between the amount of fluid and the aging process. Therefore, people of the older age group need to be especially careful about their water diet.
IN last years The functions of water in the prevention of many diseases, including cancer, are increasingly being noted. It is believed that the more fluid we consume, the more it is excreted, and with it pathogenic organisms, their waste products, toxins, which could potentially be a springboard for the development of cancer.
Thus, all functions of water are important for the normal functioning of all organs and systems and for a comfortable and healthy lifestyle.
The less water comes from outside, the more it accumulates inside. This means that if you drink fluid irregularly and in insufficient quantities, then the next time you receive it, the body retains water, storing it as if in reserve. Thus, a person not only exposes himself to a number of diseases, but also gains excess weight.
The first signal that your body gives that it is not getting enough water is the well-known fatigue. If physiological fluid losses are not replaced for a long time, a person begins to feel aching joints and discomfort in the spine. Toxins accumulate in the body, immunity decreases, and a person becomes more susceptible to diseases, especially infectious ones.
Important!
Every day you need to drink 1.5-2 liters of fluid. Regular intake of high-quality water will give you a feeling of strength and vigor, digestion processes will improve, headaches and other discomfort will no longer bother you. Not only will you feel better, but you will definitely look better.
Conclusion
The functions of water in the human body are varied and numerous. Therefore, you should not neglect such an important component of your diet. Drink water in the required quantities and be healthy!
The most familiar and most incredible substance on Earth is water. The importance of water cannot be overestimated in the life of all living things on the planet; it is present in every moment of our existence. Being the predominant element in the composition of any organism, water also controls its life activity.
Water in nature
Throughout its existence, humanity has been trying to unravel the mystery of this amazing and contradictory element. How did it arise, how did it get to our planet? Probably no one will be able to answer this question, but everyone knows that the importance of water in nature and human life is unimaginably great. One thing is absolutely true - today there are as many water reserves on Earth as there were at the birth of the universe.
The unique properties of water to contract when heated and expand when frozen is another reason to be surprised. No other substance has similar properties. And its ability to move from one state to another, so familiar and at the same time amazing, playing an exceptional role, makes it possible for all living organisms to exist on Earth. The Higher Mind has assigned water the main role in maintaining life and participating in constantly occurring natural processes.
The water cycle
This process is called the hydrological cycle, which is a continuous circulation of water from the hydrosphere and the surface of the earth into the atmosphere, and then back. There are four processes involved in the cycle:
- evaporation;
- condensation;
- precipitation;
- water flow
Once on the ground, part of the precipitation evaporates and condenses, another part, thanks to runoff, fills reservoirs, and the third turns into going underground. So, constantly moving, feeding waterways, plants and animals and preserving its own reserves, water wanders, protecting the Earth. The importance of water is obvious and indisputable.
The mechanism of the cycle and its types
In nature there is a large cycle (the so-called global cycle), as well as two small ones - continental and oceanic. Precipitation collected over the oceans is carried by winds and falls on the continents, and then returns to the ocean with runoff. The process where ocean water continuously evaporates, condenses and falls back into the ocean is called the small ocean gyre. And all similar processes occurring over land are combined into a small continental cycle, in which water is the main character. Its importance in the natural processes of continuous circulation that maintains the Earth’s water balance and ensures the existence of living organisms is indisputable.
Water and man
Having no nutritional value in the usual sense, water is the main component of any living organism, including humans. No one can exist without water. Two-thirds of any organism is water. The importance of water is extremely important for the proper functioning of all systems and organs.
Throughout life, a person comes into contact with water every day, using it for drinking and food, hygiene procedures, recreation and heating. Not found on Earth
a more valuable natural material, as vital and irreplaceable as water. Going without food for quite long periods of time, a person will not live without water for even 8 days, since within 8% of body weight a person begins to faint, 10% causes hallucinations, and 20% inevitably causes death.
Why is water so important to humans? It turns out that water regulates all basic life processes:
- normalizes oxygen humidity, increasing its absorption;
- carries out thermoregulation of the body;
- dissolves nutrients, helping the body absorb them;
- moisturizes and creates protection for vital organs;
- forms a protective lubricant for joints;
- improves metabolic processes in the functioning of body systems;
- promotes the evacuation of waste from the body.
How to stay hydrated
On average, a person loses 2-3 liters of water per day. In more extreme conditions, for example, in hot weather, high humidity and physical activity, water loss increases. To maintain the normal physiological water balance of the body, it is necessary to balance the intake of water with its removal through proper
Let's do some calculations. Considering that a person’s daily need for water is 30-40 grams per 1 kg of body weight and about 40% of the total need comes from food, the rest should be taken in the form of drinks. In summer, daily water consumption corresponds to 2-2.5 liters. The hot regions of the planet dictate their requirements - 3.5-5.0 liters, and in extremely hot conditions up to 6.0-6.5 liters of water. The body must not be dehydrated. Alarming symptoms of this problem are dry skin accompanied by itching, fatigue, a sharp decrease in concentration, blood pressure, headaches and general malaise.
Beneficial effect
It is interesting that, by being directly involved in metabolic processes, water promotes weight loss. There is a common misconception that people who want to lose weight need to drink less water, since the body retains water, causes significant harm. You cannot drive your body into even greater stress by knocking it out of its usual water exchange. In addition, moisture, being a natural diuretic, tones the kidneys, causing weight loss.
By receiving the optimal amount of water, a person gains strength, energy and endurance. It is easier for him to control his weight, since even the psychological inconvenience of forced changes when reducing his usual diet is easier to bear. Scientific research It has been proven that daily consumption of sufficient amounts of clean water helps fight serious illnesses - helps relieve back pain, migraines, reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels and blood pressure. In addition, by toning the kidneys, water inhibits the formation of stones. It has been proven that people with a creative streak tend to drink a lot, and great artists were pushed to create masterpieces. The importance of water, it turns out, is also important in art.
Plant water exchange
Just like humans, any plant needs water. In different plants it makes up from 70 to 95% of the mass, controlling all ongoing processes. Metabolism in a plant is possible only when large quantities moisture, so the importance of water for plants is undoubtedly great. By dissolving minerals in the soil, water delivers them to the plant, ensuring their continuous flow. Without water, seeds will not germinate, and the process of photosynthesis will not occur in green leaves. Filling water ensures its viability and preservation of a certain shape.
The most important condition for life support plant organism is the ability to absorb water from outside. The plant, receiving water mainly from the soil with the help of its roots, delivers it to the above-ground parts of the plant, where the leaves evaporate it. Such water exchange exists in every organic system - water, entering it, evaporates or is released, and then again, enriched with useful substances, enters the body.
Another amazing way water penetrates living cells is its osmotic absorption, i.e. the ability of water to accumulate from outside into cellular solutions, increasing the volume of fluid in the cell.
The art of water consumption
Constant consumption of clean water significantly improves mental activity brain and coordination of movement, and therefore, the importance of water for the life of brain cells is especially valuable. Therefore, a healthy person should not limit himself to drinking, but some rules should be followed:
- drink little but often;
- You should not drink a lot of water at once, as an excess of fluid in the blood will put unnecessary stress on the heart and kidneys.
So, the importance of water for living organisms is enormous. Therefore, creating conditions for maintaining one’s own water balance is necessary for every person.
Water is the basis of life for all living beings. She owns it vital role in the life activity and development of organisms:
– water forms the basis of the bodies of living organisms;
– water is a medium and a participant in biochemical reactions occurring in the bodies of living organisms;
– water is a medium in which organisms receive many of the substances they need and get rid of metabolic products (toxins);
– in plants, water is involved in photosynthesis - 5% of all the water they consume is spent on it, and 95% of it is spent on transpiration (evaporation by leaves, which creates an upward flow of mineral salts) and maintaining turgor (elasticity) of tissues;
– water is the living environment for aquatic organisms;
– the high heat capacity of water allows warm-blooded animals to maintain a constant body temperature;
– slow heating and slow cooling of water soften temperature fluctuations, which is why the climate of the coasts is called “mild”, or marine;
– the high temperature of water evaporation allows organisms to get rid of excess heat;
– other important functions.
Due to the importance of the biological functions of water, it is very often a limiting factor and, along with temperature and soil composition, determines the types of ecosystems (steppes, savannas, dry forests, wet forests).
The greatest amount of precipitation falls in the tropical zone. This is explained by the maximum supply of solar energy there. Because of their high temperatures, tropical air absorbs much more water than cool air at higher latitudes. Thus, the humid climate of the tropics is due to big amount solar energy.
The amount of precipitation is influenced by the ratio of land and sea areas: in the Southern Hemisphere, where the area of oceans is larger and the area of continents is smaller, more precipitation falls than in the Northern Hemisphere.
Not only the total amount of precipitation falling on an area is important, but also its intensity and distribution over time.
Very heavy rains, especially in the absence of vegetation cover, cause soil erosion and the death of plant seedlings and small animals. Precipitation in the form of hail, the particle size of which can be as large as a chicken egg, has the strongest damaging effect. Long periods of drizzling rain are unfavorable for insects and insectivorous birds, especially when they are feeding their chicks. In the absence of precipitation, organisms must endure long periods of drought.
In the tropical zone, precipitation patterns serve as a factor that determines the seasonal activity of organisms—their biological rhythms. In temperate latitudes, the main signals of the changing seasons of the year are the length of daylight hours (photoperiod) and temperature regime.
Air humidity
The air humidity indicator characterizes the degree of its saturation with water vapor.
Absolute humidity Air is called the amount of water vapor per unit of its mass, and relative is the ratio of the amount of available water vapor to the maximum possible at a given temperature (in %).
Air humidity is of great environmental importance.
The intensity of its evaporation from the surfaces of organisms depends on the amount of moisture in the air. At low humidity, evaporation is very strong and can lead to dehydration(dehydration) of organisms. To protect against dehydration, many of them acquired special adaptations:
– plants - thick cuticle, the ability to shed leaves in the dry season, the ability to roll leaves, loss (reduction) of leaves, pubescence and waxy coating on the leaves, stomata immersed in the leaf tissue - holes through which water evaporates;
– animals - horny scales, chitinous covers, etc.
The drying properties of air depend on deficit its saturation with water vapor - the difference between absolute and maximum possible humidity at a given temperature.
Adaptation of organisms to different levels of hydration
Plant adaptations. Depending on the need for water, all plants are divided into three ecological groups.
1. Hydrophytes(from the Greek hydor - water, moisture) - moisture-loving plants, they are:
– plants that are completely in water - elodea;
– plants in which only the roots are immersed in water - reeds, cattails, sedges, papyrus;
– plants growing in damp places - mosses, ferns, mosses, etc.
2. Mesophytes(from the Greek mesos - average, intermediate) - plants of moderately humid places (fields, forests, meadows) have devices for obtaining water - a developed root system, integumentary and conductive tissues, mechanisms for regulating the level of evaporation.
3. Xerophytes(from the Greek xeros - dry) - plants of dry places (dry steppes, savannas, semi-deserts, deserts) are able to tolerate a lack of moisture.
Xerophytes overcome the lack of moisture in the following ways:
– increase its absorption through the powerful development of root systems: in some desert plants the mass of roots exceeds the mass of ground organs by 9-10 times;
– reduce water loss by reducing evaporation by leaves;
– accumulate water in fleshy stems (cacti and African spurges) or in leaves (aloe, agaves);
– develop mechanisms to tolerate lack of water.
Plants that accumulate water in fleshy stems or leaves are called stem and leaf succulents (from the Latin succulentus - succulent). To protect against evaporation, they have thick covering tissue, and cacti have stomata (holes through which evaporation occurs), deeply embedded in the leaf tissue and opening only at night, when the air temperature drops. At the same time, the root systems of succulents are poorly developed, since they grow in areas with rare but abundant rainfall.
Plants that do not accumulate moisture, but extract it from great depths and have a structure to minimize evaporation, are called sclerophytes (from the Greek skleros - hard, hard). Sclerophytes have hard, dry stems and small, hard leaves that are often shed during the dry season. In many sclerophytes, the leaves are reduced (saxaul) or have spines.
Animal Adaptations. There are three types of animal adaptation to drought.
1. Behavioral– migration to places where there is water, visiting watering places, nocturnal lifestyle, shelter in burrows.
2. Morphological- presence of protective covers.
3. Physiological:
– the presence of mechanisms for reverse absorption of water in the digestive and excretory systems;
– excretion of highly concentrated or solid urine;
– synthesis of metabolic water;
– ability to tolerate severe dehydration.
List of basic literature
1. Chebyshev N.V., Filippova A.V. Fundamentals of ecology. – Moscow, 2004
2.National status report environment in the Republic of Kazakhstan, MEP RK, Almaty, 2007.
3. V.G.Ignatov, A.V.Kokin. Ecology and economics of environmental management., R-on-D, 2003.
4. L.I. Gubareva, O.M. Mizireva, T.M. Churilova. Human ecology. M., 2005
5. G.S.Ospanova, G.T.Bozshataeva. Ecology. – Almaty, 2002
6. Edited by A.S. Stepanovskikh. General ecology. M., 2001
Whereas, most likely, you remember that for all other substances, their solid phase is heavier than the liquid phase.
Accordingly, it is good that ice is lighter than water - and this is also the main property of water that makes life in its current form possible.
Well, if this property of water did not exist, we would have to develop on the basis of, for example, ammonia. What a pleasure it is :)
Now let's focus on the fact that water can evaporate when boiling. But this is not the main property of water - since almost any substance evaporates when boiling, and there is nothing wrong with that. The important thing is that water evaporates both in a liquid state and even from the surface of ice. Why is this property more important than boiling evaporation? Here's why.
The fact that water can evaporate not only when boiling is the main property of water, since this makes it possible water cycle in nature. Which is definitely good, since water does not accumulate in one place, but is distributed more or less evenly throughout the planet. That is, roughly speaking, the Sahara Desert is not as hot and dry as it could be, because in Antarctica water evaporates from the surface of glaciers. Well, the oceans play an important role in this.
Accordingly, without the water cycle in nature, life would sit near a couple of oases, and the rest of the places would be an arid desert, where there is not a drop of moisture.
And therefore the property of water to evaporate is the main property of water.
Naturally, not only water can evaporate without boiling. Majority aromatic compounds(alcohols, ethers, chloroform, etc.) do not evaporate when boiling. But water has one important advantage, another basic property - water is not toxic to living organisms. While alcohols and ethers are toxic. By the way, more about the toxicity (and how to deal with it) of ethyl alcohol, that is, vodka, in the article “Positive properties of structured vodka.”
Of course, in modern conditions and the water can become toxic. But it's dealt with for water, and it's not such a big problem that it can't be dealt with.
So, another main property of water is that it is non-toxic.
Otherwise, we would, again, be different :)
And finally, the main property of water, which is important not only for life, but also for industry: water heats up quite slowly and cools down slowly (that is, can absorb a lot of heat). This property protects people and other animals, and the Earth, from overheating. And hypothermia. This is why living organisms can survive at -50 degrees Celsius and at + 50 degrees. If we were built on the basis of another substance, we would not be able to handle such a temperature range.
In addition, it must be taken into account that warm and cold water have different weights- warm water is lighter, cold water is heavier. Accordingly, water stratification occurs in the ocean - both in salinity and temperature. And in the ocean exactly the kind of life that is organized now is possible. Well, since we all came from the ocean, if it were not for this property of water, we would also be completely different.
And, finally, the property of water to absorb heat and be on the surface in a heated state allows the existence of such things as warm currents - and in particular, the Gulf Stream. Which warms the whole of Europe, and without which in place of Europe there would be tundra with taiga, and not vineyards.
Perhaps you will name some other basic properties of water, but the ones listed above, in my opinion, are truly fundamental, since the existence of life on the planet depends on them exactly in the form in which life exists. I hope you find this information useful when you need to answer questions from curious children :)
And here is the promised presentation on the topic “Basic properties of water” for download: http://festival.1september.ru/articles/513123/
So, the basic properties of water are the properties thanks to which we are all alive!
And we have the look and shape that we have :)
other substances do not dissolve COMPLETELY in water
Water makes up 70-80% of the mass of living organisms.
The structure of the molecule: the electron density is shifted towards oxygen, it has a partial negative charge, and hydrogen has a partial positive charge, the molecule is a dipole. Hydrogen bonds can form between + and -.
Functions of water
1. Small dipole molecules make water the best solvent for polar (hydrophilic) substances. In a dissolved state, substances react very quickly with each other.
2. Transport function: in a dissolved state, substances move throughout the body.
3. Substances on the surface of which there are no full or partial charges (hydrophobic) cannot interact with water molecules; water pushes them out (fat, gasoline). The structure and work are based on this biological membranes.
4. Water has an abnormally high heat capacity(can absorb a lot of heat and still not get very hot). Due to this, it protects the cell from sudden temperature changes.
5. Water, like all liquids, incompressible, provides support for cells (turgor) and entire organisms (hydroskeleton).
6. Water itself can participate in chemical reactions How reagent(reactions of hydrolysis, photosynthesis, etc.).
