Water is one of the most important compounds on the planet. Whether it’s a fish living in a river, a houseplant being watered, or you drink a cup of water to stay hydrated, nearly every living organism needs water to survive. In fact, many scientists hypothesize that any extraterrestrial being would need a planet with water to survive as well. Why, though? What makes the need for water so prevalent in all living things?
Water Acts as a Solvent
Anything you or any other living creature brings into their body has to be broken down. When you eat a salad, for example, your body isn’t taking the whole bites of that salad as nutrients. Instead, a living organism’s body needs to break that down into smaller, manageable nutrients that can be absorbed into the body.
Water actually plays a huge role in this. The abbreviation for water is H20 meaning a combination of hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen atoms attract negative ions in compounds while oxygen atoms attract positive ones. This makes it a great component when it comes to dissolving materials taken into the body into usable parts. Without water, the body wouldn’t be able to break these down as effectively.
Hydration Is Key
While the concept of hydration as we think of it doesn’t fit to living organisms like plants in the same way it does to animals, the concept is essential. Animal bodies – including humans – can’t run without water. You can probably already attest to this theory once you’ve gone for a while without water to drink. You might experience a headache, fatigue, overheating, and various other symptoms.
This is because the functions in your body are dependent on water. It helps to lubricate your joints, keep your blood flowing, and even carry much-needed oxygen to other parts of your body. When you don’t drink water, you’re slowing these systems down, which is why the concept of dehydration is such a risk. Since the body requires so much water, to stay properly hydrated you need to make sure you drink plenty everyday.
Water Is Needed for Photosynthesis
The chemical process of photosynthesis results in the conversion of energy from the sun into food for plants. Without this process, it would be impossible for plants to obtain the glucose they need to grow. Plants serve as the building block for all ecosystems, and without them nothing else on earth could thrive.
The process of photosynthesis converts energy into glucose through a series of chemical reactions that require breaking down water into individual hydrogen and oxygen atoms. These atoms carry electrons that can be used to eventually create the end product of glucose.
Water Vapor in the Atmosphere
Of the gases present in the atmosphere, water vapor is arguably the most important. This vapor helps to control the transfer of heat and energy across the surface of the planet. When heat from the sun reaches earth, it radiates back towards space. Water vapor molecules absorb this heat, helping to trap some of it near the Earth’s surface. This trapped heat becomes the second source of warmth on Earth, helping to allow for the survival of life on the planet.
Water vapor in the atmosphere is condensed around the equator, which creates the humidity in the tropics. This humidity led to the significant amount of biodiversity in the tropics, which constitutes most of the life on earth.
Is All Water the Same?
As humans, we’re used to needing fresh water. This is true for many other animals as well. However, this isn’t the case for every animal. As an example, animals like humpback whales and some crocodiles prefer saltwater rather than fresh.
This isn’t the end of the differences in the water you drink as well. For many animals, tainted water isn’t a viable choice. Tainted water can lead to disease and even death.tThat’s why crises arise when natural and manmade disasters contaminate the water supply.
Luckily, there are different tools that are available to help keep water clean and healthy. These are great for homes to make sure that water is good not only for you but for your appliances, pets, and plants as well. These can include water softeners or filters. If you aren’t sure where to start, you can always check out the WSR page for some ideas as to what water softener would fit your needs.
Water is all around us and it’s, quite literally, a fuel of life. Any living organism needs plenty of water on a regular intake to stay healthy and safe. It helps to maintain living organisms’ basic functions and provides itself as a source of life. These are just a few of the ways that water provides vitality to every living being on this planet and maybe even the next.
