Question

What are some of water's emergent properties?

1) High specific heat
2) Cohesion and adhesion
3) Surface tension
4) All of the above

Answer 1

Water has several emergent properties including high specific heat, cohesion and adhesion, and surface tension. These properties allow water to act as a temperature buffer, enable small organisms to walk on water, and support the upward movement of water in plants.

Step-by-step explanation:

Water has several emergent properties that make it unique:

1. High specific heat: Water has a high specific heat, meaning it takes a lot of energy to heat up and cool down. This property allows water to act as a temperature buffer in organisms, helping maintain stable internal temperatures.
2. Cohesion and adhesion: Water molecules are attracted to each other (cohesion) and to other molecules (adhesion). Cohesion creates surface tension, allowing small organisms like insects to walk on water. Adhesion is responsible for capillary action, which allows water to move upward through plants' roots against gravity.
3. Surface tension: Water's cohesive forces create surface tension, allowing objects denser than water to float on its surface.

All of the above are examples of water's emergent properties.