Why is cohesion important in biology?

Question

Ivy Acosta · Accepted Answer

Cohesion is the property of a liquid to stay together. This is important in many parts of the biology, for example, the transport of water to all the leaves in a tree.

Cohesion is caused by interactions between the same sort of molecules. If we talk about adhesion, we mean the attractive interactions between different types of molecules.

It is easy to visualise cohesion since it is all around us! Just look at this picture below of a droplet sticking together instead of spreading out equally.

This effect is caused by interactions between the molecules. One type of these interactions is the hydrogen bond, formed between water. In the picture below these hydrogen bonds are depicted.

Daniel Arnold · Answer

undefined Additionally, cohesion plays a role in the transport of water and nutrients in animals, such as in the bloodstream. Cohesion is important in biology because it enables water molecules to stick together, creating surface tension and enabling capillary action in plants. This property is crucial for the movement of water through plants, facilitating nutrient uptake and support for the plant's structure.