Question

what unique property allows water to transport nutrients in plant vascular systems?
adhesion and cohesion
lonic bonding
thermal expansion
magnetic attraction
why would ethanol be an inadequate replacement for water in biological systems?
higher boiling point
greater molecular complexity
less hydrogen bonding capability
increased thermal stability
what occurs when water molecules split apart?
complete molecular destruction
spontaneous combustion
formation of hydrogen and hydroxide ions
quantum entanglement

Explanation:

• For the first question: Adhesion (water molecules sticking to other substances like the walls of plant vascular tissue) and cohesion (water molecules sticking to each other) work together to create a continuous column of water that can transport nutrients against gravity in plant vascular systems. Ionic bonding is not relevant to this water - transport function. Thermal expansion is about how water changes volume with temperature and magnetic attraction is not a property of water in this context.
• For the second question: Water has extensive hydrogen bonding (due to its polar nature with \(O - H\) bonds). Ethanol (\(C_2H_5OH\)) has less hydrogen bonding capability compared to water. A higher boiling point (water has a relatively high boiling point due to hydrogen bonding, ethanol has a lower boiling point), greater molecular complexity (not the key reason as simplicity in some aspects is good for biological solvents), and increased thermal stability (water has good thermal stability due to hydrogen bonding, ethanol is less stable in this regard in the context of biological systems) are not the main reasons for ethanol being inadequate.
• For the third question: When water molecules (\(H_2O\)) split apart (in a process like dissociation), they form hydrogen ions (\(H^+\)) and hydroxide ions (\(OH^-\)) according to the equation \(H_2O

ightleftharpoons H^++OH^-\). Complete molecular destruction is too extreme, spontaneous combustion does not occur when water molecules split, and quantum entanglement is not a relevant concept here.

Answer:

• First question: Adhesion and cohesion
• Second question: Less hydrogen bonding capability
• Third question: Formation of hydrogen and hydroxide ions