Question

Because organisms are made primarily of water, they resist rapid temperature changes. This useful quality is based on water's _____.

1) cohesion
2) high specific heat
3) ability to form colloids
4) buffering activity
5) lower density in the solid phase

Answer 1

Water's high specific heat is the reason organisms resist rapid temperature changes, maintaining stable conditions crucial for life.

Step-by-step explanation:

Organisms resist rapid temperature changes because water has a high specific heat. This means it takes a lot of added heat to raise its temperature. The hydrogen bonds between water molecules must continually break and reform for the temperature to increase, which results in the overall temperature of the organism remaining stable, even when energy is added to the system.

This property is essential for maintaining life as it allows organisms to thrive in varying environmental conditions, helps maintain homeostasis, and supports various biological processes.