Describe the role of water in weathering erosion, and metabolism?

Question

Describe the role of water in weathering erosion, and metabolism?

Answer 1

Weathering of rocks occurs when water seeps into cracks in the rock, then, when the sun heats it, it expands.  In the winter, when it's cold, the water causes it to contract.  This natural process of expansion and contraction eventually causes the rock to crumble and enriches the soil with minerals.

When trees are uprooted during storms, or cut down for lumber or paper, etc. the roots no longer perform uptake of water which would normally bind the soil around it.  Lacking a strong root system, rain and flooding will wash away the soil, a process referred to as erosion.

Water and carbon dioxide are the 2 primary byproducts of aerobic respiration, one of the steps of metabolism.  This is often referred to as the Krebs cycle, or, the Citric Acid cycle.  So, the more food you eat, especially sugary and oily foods, and the more you exercise or play sports, the more water vapor and carbon dioxide you're adding to the atmosphere.  

Aerobic Respiration:

C6H12O6 + oxygen --> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + ATP (energy)

All mammals which respire aerobically, or breathe in oxygen, also produce water vapor and CO2, like squirrels, mice, gerbils, hamsters, bats, horses, cows, pigs, dogs, etc.

If we got rid of all the mice in the world, we'd help alleviate the flooding somewhat.  Also, write to your space agency to haul bottled water to the moons and Mars.