Book 1, Question 21
Why Do We Need Water? Big Jobs for Tiny Cells!
Grab a glass of water, because your body is counting on it! About 60 to 70 percent of your body is water, and it carries nutrients and oxygen, keeps your temperature just right, and cushions your joints and organs. Water also helps blood flow, makes the sweat that cools you down, and helps your cells work. Thirst is an early alarm, so the page says to sip water and stay ahead of it. On a hot day kids can lose more than a liter through sweat and breathing.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 1
More fun facts
- Water makes up more than half of your body weight.
- A person cannot survive more than a few days without water.
- Your blood has a lot of water in it, and it carries oxygen to every cell in your body.
- Water is part of lymph, a fluid in your immune system that helps you fight off illness.
- You need water to digest food. It is in your digestive juices, your pee, and your poop.
- Fruit holds lots of water. Think of the juice that drips down your chin when you bite a peach or a plum.
- If your pee is very light yellow, it usually means you are drinking enough.
- Scientists have found that all living things need water. That is why NASA looks for water when it searches for life on other worlds.
Sources: KidsHealth (Nemours), NASA Science
Questions kids ask
How long can a person go without water?
Only a few days. Your body needs water for almost everything it does.
How can I tell if I am drinking enough water?
If your pee is very light yellow, you are probably well hydrated.