inorganic ions + water Flashcards
what is magnesium used for in animals?
allows teeth and bones to develop
what is magnesium used for in plants?
needed to synthesis chlorophyll to allow photosynthesis to occur
what is iron used for?
component in haemoglobin which carries oxygen in red blood cells
(lack of anaemia)
what is calcium used for in animals?
important structural component for bones and teeth
what is calcium used for in plants?
important structural component for cell walls
what is phosphate used for?
needed to synthesis nucleotides (e.g. RNA, DNA)
component of phospholipids in cell membranes
what are the bonds between atoms within the same water molecule?
single covalent bonds
what are the bonds between two water molecules?
hydrogen bonds
what charge are the hydrogens in water?
partially positive
what charge are the oxygens in water?
partially negative
why is water a polar molecule?
because it has separate charges due to the unequal sharing of electrons
electrons from the hydrogen atoms get pulled towards the oxygen atom
why do electrons from hydrogen get pulled towards oxygen in water?
the oxygen atom attracts electrons a little more strongly than hydrogen does
why is water a solvent?
water molecules are dipoles so they attract charged particles which dissolve in water
why is it important for water to be a solvent?
acts as a transport medium
(animals - plasma)
(plants - minerals in xylem and sucrose in phloem)
how does water have cohesion?
water molecules attract each other forming hydrogen bonds
bonds are weak but stick together in a lattice