Effect of Temperature on Water Properties

Effect of Temperature on Water Properties Life is inseparable from water. This dependence of life on water can be attributed to the unique properties of water, water is directly intimately involved in all details of animal physiology but because it is so common, water is often regarded with indifference as an inert space, filter in living system. The special properties of water are so important to life stem directly from its molecular structure. Therefore it is important that we should begin by understanding its molecular structure. Not only that water is also a driving force of all living organisms, hence the saying â€Å"water is life, conserve it.† MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF WATER The shape of water and of all organic molecules is necessary to the structure and functional roles they playin living organisms, for example, hormones having specific shapes that allow them to be recognized by the cells in the body. We can stay well only when the antibiotics combine with disease- causing agents like a key fits into a lock, similarly homeostasis is only maintained when enzymes have the proper shape to carry out their particular reactions in cells. The shape of a water molecule and its polarity makes hydrogen bonding possible. Water’s shape also enables it to support life as shown below Water has several functions due to its unique properties that make it vital to living organisms. The following are some of the properties of water which can either be physical or chemical and its significance to living organisms. Water is said to be; UNIVERSAL SOLVENT Water is said to be an excellent universal solvent for polar substances like salts which contains charged particles, as shown below; From the diagram above of a salt molecule it can be seen that water is able to surround a salt molecule, which makes it to be dissolved by a water molecule, hence the reason for water being a universal solvent that is enabling it to dissolve nutrients in other living organisms, also water being a universal solvent means that more substances both organic and inorganic are dissolved in water than in any other solvent. For this reason water is rarely pure, being almost always in solution containing dissolved substances. (Lacksonetal 1995:14) Hence because of water being a universal solvent it plays an important role in living organisms, it is suitable for life in which diffusion and osmosis occur easily, that is it helps in the diffusion of gases to facilitate gaseous exchange in insects as well as in fish which usually uses oxygen that has dissolved in water. Aquatic organisms such as fish, amoeba and so on benefit from water by making use of the dissolved oxygen in water for their respiration. Water also acts as a transport medium as in the blood, lymphatic and excretory systems, such as in the removal of water products in the body such as urine, as well as in the alimentary canal of a living organism and in the xylem to transport mineral salts in plants and in the phloem to transport manufactured food. It is also an important solvent in which most of the bodily solute are dissolved, it also plays an important part in metabolism processes as well as helping organisms to transport nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. The tendency of water to cause amphipathic molecules to form in cells is important in the formation of biological membranes in living cells and may have provided the basis for the first cell-like organisms of living system in the organic-rich shallow seas in which the beginning of life is believed to have undergone its first stages (Eckert and Randi 1978:20) DENSITY AND FREEZING PROPERTIES OF WATER When we consider this property of water having less density when in solid state (ice) than liquid water which has a maximum density at a temperature of 40c we see that ice tends to float on water. When water is cooled to form ice the hydrogen bonds become more rigid but also more open causing water to expand thus increasing in volume. This reason explains why a cans containing water bursts when placed in a freezer for a long period of time. It is generally observed that matter expands upon heating hence the behavior of water to expand when heated is sometimes referred to as â€Å"the abnormal behavior of water.† The ability of ice to float on water prevents the whole body of water (ponds, rivers, lakes and oceans) from freezing solid because it acts as in insulator on the water surface, as a result this property of water protects aquatic organisms and enables them to survive through the winter. HIGH HEAT CAPACITY Heat capacity is the amount of energy required to change the temperature of a substance by 1oc. water is said to have a high heat capacity because water has the ability to retain a good amount of energy with only a little fluctuation in its own temperature. This means that for water to have a change in its temperature it requires a lot of energy. This property of water is important not only to aquatic life but for all living organisms because the temperature of water rises and falls slowly organisms are better able to maintain their normal internal temperature and are protected from rapid temperature changes. COHESIVE AND ADHESIEVE Cohesion refers to the ability of water molecules to cling to other water molecules due to hydrogen bonding. Because of cohesion, water exists as a liquid under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure. Cohesion in water contributes to the transport of water in plants living because water molecules are strongly attracted to each other, and its surface tension makes it possible for water striders, a common insect to walk on the surface of a pond (Mader 2010:29) Furthermore, high surface tension and cohesion are also important properties of water which makes water molecules to stick together. The high surface tension or cohesion of water molecules is important in cells and many organisms such as insects which rely on surface tension to settle on water. Below is a diagram illustrating the structure of water that makes it cling to other water molecules due to hydrogen bonding. ÃŽ ´+ H H ÃŽ ´+ ÃŽ ´+ H O †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦. H O 2ÃŽ ´ 2ÃŽ ´ ÃŽ ´+ Hydrogen bond Key: ÃŽ ´+ : slightly positively charged H : Hydrogen atom ÃŽ ´ : slightly negatively charged O : Oxygen atom Taylor etal(1997:37) HIGH HEAT OF VAPORIZATION High heat of vaporization is also another important property of water. Latent heat of vaporization is the measure of the heat energy required to vaporize a liquid- that is the energy needed to overcome the attractive forces between its molecules that they can escape as a gas. The energy transferred to water molecules to allow them to vaporize results in the loss of energy from surrounding that is cooling taking place. As a result this property is made use of in the cooling of the temperature of living organisms through sweating and panting. It can be concluded that the properties of water are vital to all living organisms and it plays important roles by ensuring that living organisms survive. It can be seen that the properties of water outlined in this discussion have a direct link to the survival of living organisms and that without water life on earth as we know would not exist. Therefore water is life conserve it. REFERENCES Berner E. eatal (1987), The global water cycle.  prentice- Hall inc: New Jersey. Eckert and Rand (1978), Animal physiology 2nd edition.  C.B.S publishers: New Delhi. Raven J. (2000), Science of biology.  Cambridge university press: New York Silver Mader .S. (2010), Biology 10th edition  McCraw Hill Companies: New York. Taylor DJ.T. etal (1997), Biological Science 1st and 2nd edition.  Cambridge University press: New York.

Halfway There :: essays papers

Halfway There People. Droves of them, hustling off to their appointed gates with seventeen suitcases strapped to themselves like pack mules. All scowling, furrowing their brows. Hoping to get to where they want to go, and with all seventeen suitcases they came with. Me? I only had two bags, but one of them was large enough to be a body bag. Beside me was my cousin, a tall 16-year old, the jock type, with broad shoulders and pimple covered cheeks. He, of course, got stuck carrying my oversized bag. As we made our way past the ticket counter the automatic doors whooshed open, nearly sweeping us away in a blast of icy air. It was December in Vermont, which means one thing: cold. The kind of cold that hurt the skin, just breathing made people cough. As we zigged and zagged our way through the seething maze of bodies, we kept looking down at the flight information in my hands. â€Å"Gate B-17, I’m sure of it† I said, none too convincingly apparently, for he kept reading aloud the gates and their destinations. We reached a fairly quiet section of the airport, and all the sounds became subdued. It had the feel of a library to it: old, peaceful, and undisturbed. â€Å"Is that our gate?† I asked. He looked up at the monitor and said, â€Å"Flight 182 to Pittsburgh, I think that’s us.† We stepped up to the woman behind the counter and handed her our tickets. She looked up at us, crows’ feet at the edges of her eyes, soft blond hair, and slightly delicate hands, a very attractive middle-aged woman. She had a soft voice, meek and unassuming. â€Å"Right this way please,† she said. We followed her down the steep incline to the plane. The closer we got the louder the noise became, threatening to deafen us. I could see the pilots huddled over the glowing panels in the cockpit, pressing a button here, turning a knob there, and making me feel secure just by looking busy. We stepped into the cabin and the sound became suddenly muffled, like someone threw a wool blanket over us. As we sidestepped down the aisle, I kept glancing over my shoulder into the cockpit, maybe out of curiosity as to what all the flashing buttons did, or maybe to continually remind myself that the pilots knew what they were doing.

The True Tragic Hero of Creon in Sophocles Antigone Essay -- Papers S

The True Tragic Hero of Creon in Sophocles' Antigone There has always been a great debate over who is the true tragic hero in Sophocles' Antigone. Many scholars would stake claim to Antigone possessing all the necessary characteristics of a true tragic hero, but many others would argue that Creon holds many qualities as well. It is hard to discount Antigone as a tragic hero, because in fact, the play bears her name, but from careful reading, Creon meets Aristotle's criteria exactly and fits perfectly into the role. In order to determine whether or not Creon is the true tragic hero, one must answer the question: 'What is a Tragic Hero?' In Aristotle's Poetics, he discusses the basic criteria regarding a tragic hero. Aristotle states that tragic heroes must have a 'high' status or social position; characters must not be perfect, although, the character is pre-eminently good; they must have a single flaw that brings about their own demise and that of the others around them. Aristotle also mentions another quality of a tragic hero , which is that the character arouses pity in the audience usually because the punishment exceeds the crime and the hero is alive to face his suffering in order to achieve some self-recognition. After reviewing all these critera, it should be clear that Creon is the true tragic hero. First, Aristotle suggests that a tragic hero must occupy a ?high? status position, but must also possess nobility and virtue as part of the hero's character. Creon fits this description quite accurately. At the beginning of the play; in the Time and Scene section, it says that, ?Creon, is now king of Thebes.? This quote shows that he occupies a strong status position and stature of nobility. Creon also pro... ...h ruler and should be punished in the same matter that he ruled. Creon made a choice, a choice he thought was the right one. It turned out that this choice warranted an unjustly punishment. Creon?s punishment exceeds the crime; is one who has excessive pride and arrogance, like many of us, to suffer a lonely and hated life? Should we pity him? Creon fits all of Aristotle?s criteria to perfection. He is a good king with a high stature, although he is not perfect in his actions. The excessive pride sets the stage for his major flaw. This pride leads to his downfall and that of his family. Creon reaches a period of recognition for his actions. Lastly, his punishment was overly harsh compared to his crime. According to Aristotle, Creon is a striking match to fit the role of a tragic hero. Works Cited: Sophocles. Antigone. Trans. D. W. Myatt. 1994.

The Conqueror And King: Alexander The Great

Alexander the Great, as his name connotes is probably one of the greatest military leaders and conquerors in the history of the world. At a very young age, he was able to put much of the Hellenistic world under his control extending over 3,000 miles from Greece to India (Cummings, 2004). The unification of the numerous Greek city-states under the father of Alexander, Philip II of Macedon was attributable to the the great conqueror who took control over these lands that the Persian army used to control. These include Anatolia, Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, Gaza, Egypt, Bactria and Mesopotamia (Shone and Odgens, 2005).Alongside this, he extended the boundaries of his own empire reaching as far as Punjab (now a province of Pakistan) in the Indian subcontinent. These military achievements of Alexander the Great did not stop here. If he had not died at a very young age, Alexander the Great could have conquered the European lands (Tarn, 1979). He also wanted to continue his conquests by explori ng eastwards, hoping to find the end of the world which had been made known to him by his tutor, the great philosopher, Aristotle. Alexander’s tutor once told him tales of where the lands and the great oceans begin.It was also Aristotle who influenced the young prince greatly on how to behave properly, especially in dealing with women. His great respect for women has been very evident even during his adulthood (Syversten, 1997). In his conquests of new lands, Alexander encouraged the inclusion of foreigners into his army which is basically the reason why some scholars consider him to be a ‘policy of fusion (Cummings, 2004). ’ With this, he also encouraged the intermarriage between his army and foreigners, which he also engaged in by marrying Roxanne, the princess of Bactria, one of the present provinces of Afghanistan.Because of this, the military conquests and achievements ushered in what came to be known as the Hellenistic age, a fusion of Greek and Middle East ern culture (Gunther, 1963). In Afghanistan, for example, the rulers had combined Greek names with their own names. Having lived a life that was full of military achievements and accomplishments, though shortly lived made Alexander a person of vital importance not just in the history of the Greek culture but the history of the world as well. He has also appeared to be a legendary hero in the person of the Homeric hero, Achilles (Green, 1970).The Achievements of Alexander the Great The birth of Alexander the Great on the twentieth of July to Philip II of Macedonia and his fourth wife Olympias in Pella, Macedonia in Northern Greece happened to be the same day when the temple of Artemis has been raised to the ground- a good omen of how great the young prince would be (Robinson, 1963). Aside from this, he could have inherited the military skills and achievements of his other relatives. His father, like him was a great general and organizer. Similarly, Pyrrhus of Epirus was his second co usin (O’Brien, 1992).As a child, it has been said that Alexander would often get disappointed whenever he learns of his father’s successful conquests of new lands, thinking that there would be no more lands left for him by the time he sits on the throne as king (Syversten, 1997). By the time he reached thirteen, the young prince matured, thanks to his education under Aristotle. It was because of his education under Aristotle that he became interested in philosophy, literature, philosophy, countries, ethics, politics, etc.He also developed a love for the works of Homer and the Heroic Age (Pinkerton, 2002). His love for Homer’s the Iliad was the reason why he regarded Achilles to be his role model, and it was because of this that the young boy became fearless and strong which he demonstrated by riding Bucephalus, the horse no one ever dared to touch (Pinkerton, 2002). At the age of sixteeen, King Philip II placed great responsibilities upon the young prince. While the former has been away for a long period of time, one of Macedonia’s colonies revolted.Due to the absence of his father, the young prince took over the situation and commanded the troops to subdue the said rebellion. He was also sixteen years old when he found his first ever colony, Alexandroupolis (Syversten, 1997). Alexander became the king of Macedonia at the age of 20. During that time, the Greek city states became restless under Macedonian rule. On one of his battles in the north, fighting the Barbarians, word spread about Alexander’s death, causing the people of Thebes to revolt.Upon learning of what is happening, Alexander had to engage in harsh measures to quell the rebellion. From then on, no one ever questioned the capacity, strength and efficiency of Alexander as a military leader (Cartledge, 2005). The young king then went on with his conquest of Persia, one of the dreams his father had, also knowing that he could not have real power with Darius, the gre at king of Persia around (Robinson, 1963). He defeated the great Persian ruler at the battle of Issus in 333 BC for the second time and in November of that same year, he was crowned as King of Persia (Stoneman, 1997).It was also in that time when he reached the Indian subcontinent where he defeated Porus, an Indian prince. Although he planned on taking on what lies beyond the Ganges River, Alexander had to go back as his army mutinied against him (Cummings, 2004). He was able extend his empire up to this part because of his marriage to the Bactrian princess, Roxanne (Gunther, 1963). The journeys of Alexander the Great led him to discover numerous cities and colonies. The most popular of them all, is perhaps the city which bears his name, Alexandria.The people in Egypt welcomed the Macedonian king hospitably, having despised their Persian rulers and crowned him as their pharaoh (Syversten, 1997). Egypt then became the center of learning and commerce because of its strategic location (Robinson, 1963). The greatness of Alexander, however started to diminish as he was continuously losing the support not just of his army but of the Macedonians as well because of his adoption of Persian ways (O’Brien, 1992). On July 10, 323 BC, a month before his 33rd birthday, Alexander the Great died.Some say it was because of malaria or other types of sicknesses while others theorize it to be caused by poisoning. Some say this was due to some people’s discontent with his rule, especially the sons of Antipater, the viceroy of Greece. With no legal heir to inherit his vast kingdom which extends from Greece to India, the empire of Alexander the Great has been distributed to his generals. Having conquered vast territory within a very short lifetime, Alexander the Great remains to be the greatest military commander and conqueror in the history of the world.References Cartledge, P. (2005). Alexander the Great: The Hunt for A New Past. US: Vintage. Cummings, L. V. (2004). Alexander the Great. USA: Grove Press. Green, P. (1970). Alexander the Great. USA: Cengage Learning Gunther, J. (1963). Alexander the Great. USA: Random House. O’ Brien, J. M. (1992). Alexander the Great: The Invisible Enemy: A Biography. UK: Routledge Pinkerton, J. (2002). Biography of Alexander the Great. Retrieved October 4, 2007 From http://mi. essortment. com/alexandergreat_rhqk. htmRobinson, C. A. (1963) Alexander the Great: Conqueror and Creator of A New World. USA: F. Watts Publishing. Shone, R. and Odgens, C. (2005) Alexander the Great: The Life of a King and a Conqueror. USA: Rosen Classroom. Stoneman, R. (1997). Alexander the Great. UK: Routledge. Syversten, T. (1997). The Rise and Fall of Alexander the Great. Retrieved October 4, 2007 From http://members. aol. com/tomstp9/alex. html Tarn, W. W. (1979). Alexander the Great. Volume II: Sources and Studies. USA: Cambridge University Press