Cells bags of ->MOSTLY<- water? (was You are mostly bacteria ...)

September 17, 2004

Message: 54924 From: ChrisMasterjohn@a... Received: Thu Sep 16, 2004 2:31 PM

Subject: Re: Cells bags of water? (was You are mostly bacteria ...)

In a message dated 9/16/04 1:53:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

lazlo75501@y... writes:

Yeah, but bacteria are also ugly bags of mostly water too!

*CHRIS*

~~~~~> Actually, a bag of water is a really bad analogy for a cell, because

solids are mostly solids, and the water is polarized and oriented in a resting

cell, much like the water in a bowl of jello.

Darrell blurts:

Hey now, Chris. You didn't quote me in entirety. Wouldn't you agree,

arguably, that 'water' is a bit different than 'mostly water'?

Darrell

September 18, 2004

In a message dated 9/16/04 11:43:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

lazlo75501@... writes:

Hey now, Chris. You didn't quote me in entirety. Wouldn't you agree,

arguably, that 'water' is a bit different than 'mostly water'?

____

~~~~> No, it makes no difference. I didn't mean the post as an argument, I

just use it as an opportunity to plug a new book and idea. The point is the

" sack of water " image would conjure in most people's minds a membrane enclosed

by a dilute solution of liquid water. Perhaps you didn't mean it that way, but

that's the image it gives me. Usually " water " colloquially used to refer to

the liquid phase of H2O. No one says " I'm chewing on water " if they are

eating ice cubes, for example. Usually when it's humid, people don't say,

" there's

so much water in the air. " Not that it would be incorrect technically; it

just isn't the colloquial usage.

Cells are more like a " briefcase packed with a gelatinous mass of proteins

and polarized and oriented mulitalyers of water " or, " a briefcase full of

Jello, " if you will. In their resting state, anyway.

Again, I was just using the opportunity to mention the concept, not picking

on you for being wrong or arguing.

Chris

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