Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store
seo-qna
SearchIcon
banner

Why is water an important solvent for living things?

Answer
VerifiedVerified
470.7k+ views
Hint: Water is a gaseous, liquid, or solid material that is made up of the chemical components hydrogen and oxygen. It's one of the most common and important substances on the planet. At room temperature, it is a tasteless and odourless liquid with the critical capacity to dissolve a wide range of compounds.

Complete answer:
Water can dissolve a wide range of compounds, which is why it is such an effective solvent. And, because it dissolves more things than any other liquid, it is known as the "universal solvent." This is critical for all living things on the planet. It means that water transports valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients everywhere it goes, whether through the ground or through our bodies.
The chemical composition and physical properties of water are what make it such a good solvent. The oxygen and hydrogen atoms in water molecules are polarised, with one side (hydrogen) having a strong electrical charge and the other (oxygen) having a negative charge.
This enables the water molecule to be attracted to a wide range of other molecules. Water can become so strongly attracted to another molecule, such as salt (NaCl), that it can destroy the attraction forces holding the sodium and chloride in the salt molecule together, causing it to dissolve.

Note:
Because Water can dissolve more chemicals than any other liquid, water is known as the "universal solvent." This is critical for all living things on the planet. It means that water transports valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients wherever it goes, whether through the air, the earth, or our bodies.