# Explain why water is important for the survival of organisms living in hot desert environments. Refer to the properties of water in your answer.

> AQA A-Level Biology (7402) — 3.1.7 Water · Explain · 5 marks

> Desert organisms such as cacti and camels must cope with extremely high temperatures and limited water availability. Despite these challenges, water remains essential for their survival.

## Mark scheme (5 marks)

1. Water is a solvent / water dissolves substances
2. Dissolved substances can be transported around the organism / in the blood / in cells
3. Water has a high specific heat capacity / requires a lot of energy to change temperature
4. This helps maintain a stable / constant internal body temperature / prevents overheating in the heat of the desert
5. Evaporation of water (in sweat / transpiration) cools the organism / removes heat energy from the surface

## Related

- [Revision notes for AQA A-Level Biology (7402)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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