Describe the importance of water for living organisms?
Water is essential for every living being. It plays an important role in large number of life processes. About 70% of our body weight is due to water.
Water plays an important role in our body in the following ways:
• Water is a good solvent. The nutrients and minerals present in our food get dissolved in water so that our body, able to absorb them easily.
• It dissolves the waste materials of the body, which are expelled out as urine.
• Water regulates the temperature of our body by the process of sweating. In summer, water comes out through the skin pores in the form of sweat. When this sweat evaporates, it takes away a lot of heat. By losing heat, the skin cools down and we feel comfortable.
Water plays an important role in the life of plants also:
• Water helps in the germination of seeds and growth of plants.
• It helps in the preparation of food by the plants (photosynthesis). Plants use water along with carbon dioxide from the air, to make glucose (food) in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll.
• Water dissolves the nutrients in the soil, which is easily absorbed by the roots of plants.
• Water also acts as a medium for the transport of minerals and other nutrients from one part o the plant to another.