Which property of water allows it to act as a temperature buffer for living cells?
- A. Its low surface tension
- B. Its high specific heat capacity
- C. Its low density in the liquid state
- D. Its inability to form hydrogen bonds
Explanation
Water has an unusually high specific heat capacity because a large amount of energy is absorbed breaking hydrogen bonds before the temperature rises. A cell can therefore take in or lose considerable heat with only a small change in internal temperature, which protects enzymes from denaturation. Surface tension in water is high, not low, and water is denser as a liquid than as ice, so the other options invert real properties.
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