Question

Water has a much higher specific heat than most other covalent compounds. What do you predict might happen if water had a low specific heat instead?

a. flooding would occur and animals would be forced to migrate
b. harmful organisms living in water would reproduce at a rapid rate
c. organisms that are sensitive to changes in temperature would die
d. plants would not have enough water to effectively carry out photosynthesis

Answer 1

The correct answer is option c. organisms that are sensitive to changes in temperature would die.

The survival of the aquatic organism is favored by the high specific heat of the water, as it opposes the sudden change in temperature. In case, the water had low specific heat, the changes in the external temperature would suddenly increase or decrease the temperature of the water, it may create a problem to the species that are sensitive to change in temperature.