A. All living things are composed of four basic categories of macromolecules and share the same basic needs for life.
B. Living organisms acquire the energy they need for life processes through various metabolic pathways (primarily photosynthesis and cellular respiration).
C. Chemical reactions in living things follow basic rules of chemistry and are usually regulated by enzymes.
D. The unique chemical properties of carbon and water make life on Earth possible.
- Clarification :
Students will explain the properties of water at a conceptual level.
Students will explain how the properties make water essential for life on Earth.
- Content Limits :
Items referring to the properties of water are limited to hydrogen bonding, polarity, cohesive behavior, ability to moderate temperature, expansion upon freezing, and versatility as a solvent.
Items may address adhesion but will not assess adhesion.
- Stimulus Attributes :
Scenarios must have a biological context. - Response Attributes :
None specified - Prior Knowledge :
Items may require the student to apply scientific knowledge described in the NGSSS from lower grades. This benchmark requires prerequisite knowledge of SC.6.E.7.4 and SC.8.P.8.5.
- Test Item #: Sample Item 1
- Question: Water is essential for life. Its special properties make water the single most important molecule in plant life. Which of the following properties of water enables it to move from the roots to the leaves of plants?
- Difficulty: N/A
- Type: MC: Multiple Choice
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The importance of knowing what drinking water contains. How to know what properties are present in different bottled water. Knowing the elements present in water that is advantageous to growth and development of many things in the body. To know what to be alert for in water and to understand the importance of water in general.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.
Original Student Tutorials Science - Grades 9-12
Learn how the chemical properties of water relate to its physical properties and make it essential for life with this interactive tutorial.
Student Resources
Original Student Tutorial
Learn how the chemical properties of water relate to its physical properties and make it essential for life with this interactive tutorial.
Type: Original Student Tutorial
Tutorial
Water is both essential and unique. Many of its particular qualities stem from the fact that it consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen, therefore creating an unequal sharing of electrons. From fish in frozen lakes to ice floating on water, Christina Kleinberg describes the effects of polarity.
Type: Tutorial