Explain how the properties of water are important during the chemical reactions that occur inside living cells.

Water is a universal solvent, so it dissolves the reactants and metabolites that take part in cellular reactions, allowing them to move freely and be transported to the correct site.
Water itself is a reactant in many biochemical reactions, for example hydrolysis during digestion.
Water has a very high heat capacity, meaning it can absorb large amounts of heat with only a small change in temperature.
This property keeps the temperature inside the cell relatively stable, preventing enzymes from denaturing and allowing enzyme‑controlled reactions to continue.