The earth is the only planet in our solar system that has liquid water. It is know as the ‘Blue Planet’ because the land is surrounded by water that makes the Earth look blue when you see it from outer space. About 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. Without water there can be no life.
Water transports substances
Water transports substances around the bodies of living things. Our blood is made mainly of water. Blood transports dissolve food substances and oxygen to all parts of the body. Water also transports waste products that the body must get rid of. Plants need mineral salts to grow and be healthy. Mineral salts in the soil dissolve in water. Plant roots absorb water and the dissolved mineral salts form the soil. The water transports the mineral salts from the roots to all parts of the plant.
Water is a habitat
Many plants and animals live in or around water. They can live in habitats such as the sea, rivers or ponds. Plants and animals get food, shelter and a place to reproduce from these habitats.
Water helps seeds to disperse
The seeds of trees and grasses and reeds that grow along riverbanks fall in the water and are carried away. They are carried far from the mother plant to grow somewhere else. In this way plants move to new areas. We say they are dispersed.
