Published by Patrick Mutisya · 14 days ago
State that water is the main component of blood and tissue fluid and relate the properties of water to its role in transport in mammals, focusing on solvent action and high specific heat capacity.
Water’s polarity allows it to dissolve a wide range of substances (ions, gases, nutrients, metabolic wastes). Dissolved substances are carried in the liquid phase of blood and tissue fluid, enabling efficient distribution to cells and removal of waste.
Water can absorb or release large amounts of heat with only a small change in temperature (\$c_{\text{water}} \approx 4.18\ \text{kJ kg}^{-1}\text{K}^{-1}\$). This property stabilises the internal temperature of mammals, ensuring that enzymatic reactions and transport processes occur under optimal conditions.
| Property of Water | Physiological Role in Transport |
|---|---|
| Excellent solvent (polar molecule) | Facilitates dissolution and carriage of ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺), glucose, amino acids, hormones, and gases (O₂, CO₂) in plasma and interstitial fluid. |
| High specific heat capacity | Buffers temperature fluctuations in blood, maintaining a stable environment for metabolic reactions and preventing denaturation of transport proteins. |
Water’s dominant presence in blood and tissue fluid makes it the primary medium for transport. Its ability to dissolve many substances ensures that nutrients, gases, and wastes can move freely, while its capacity to store heat protects the organism from rapid temperature changes, both of which are vital for the efficient functioning of the mammalian circulatory system.