Definition: Capillary action is the combined result of water's cohesive and adhesive properties, enabling liquid movement against gravity.

Example: Plants utilize capillary action to transport water from soil through their roots and up into their stems.

Highlight: Water's high heat capacity and unique freezing properties protect aquatic organisms in cold climates by allowing ice to float while maintaining liquid water underneath.

Quote: "Living systems depend upon properties of water, and hydrogen bonds with water molecules result in surface tension."

Definition: Covalent bonds occur when atoms share electrons, and polar covalent bonds form when there is a difference in atomic electronegativity.

Vocabulary: Cohesion refers to the attraction between molecules of the same type, while adhesion describes bonding between different types of molecules.

Example: In water molecules, cohesion occurs when one oxygen atom bonds with two hydrogen atoms through hydrogen bonds $H-O-H$.

Highlight: The polar nature of water molecules enables them to form hydrogen bonds with other water molecules and different substances, a crucial property for biological processes.