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What are the properties of water that make it critical for life?
being a covalent compound, it is a very stable molecule
has remarkable solvent properties
has unusual thermal properties
plays a direct role in the stability and behavior of other molecules in the cell
plays a direct role in chemical reaction mechanisms
www.chemistrypictures.org
note that both H and O atoms adopt noble gas configuration (He and Ne)
two pairs of e- on O atom do not participate in covalent bond formation
these are called non-bonding pairs or lone pairs
cnx.org
Note: O (atomic number 8) also has 2 inner shell electrons (not shown)
NH3
H2O
HF
methane
water
NH3
CO2
it is the polar nature of water that allows it to interact with other charged or
polar molecules and solvate (dissolve) them (more on this in a bit).
Hydrogen Bonding in
Liquid Water
in liquid water, less than the maximum of
4 hydrogen bonds occur between molecules
The surface of water - one molecule thick - is held in tension by the innumerable
Hydrogen bonds below holding the surface water molecules in place.
Their attraction to each other is greater than their attraction to molecules on insect
leg.
Hydrogen Bonding and its effect on surface tension is also why water will bead
while something with less of an ability to form hydrogen bonds will not.
Water
100% Ethanol
compared with related molecules, H2O should have a melting pt. of -100oC
and boiling pt. of -91oC (see table below).
IV V VI VII
Hydrides of Group VI elements
water also has a high heat capacity. That is, the amount of
thermal energy required to raise its temperature. The high
heat capacity of water modulates climatic temperatures.
All of these
properties due
to H bonding
The ability of water to form a hydration shell via dipole interactions is a measure of
its DIELECTRIC CONSTANT or RELATIVE PERMITTIVITY.
The interaction between the Na+ and Clions is stronger than interaction of oil
molecules with ions.
Water dissolves ionic solids like salt because of the polar nature of H2O molecule and
the charge on the ion.
Remember, polar means it has a dipole, or separation of charge (one end is positive,
the other end is negative).
The positive Hydrogen ends of water molecule interact with negative charge of Cl ions.
The negative Oxygen end of molecules interacts with positive charge of Na ions.
Water can also dissolve other molecules that are not ionic so long as they are also polar
(e.g. like sugar molecules)
by forming Hydrogen bonds with the molecules.
Hydrophobic molecules (such as oils) cannot dissolve in water because oils are
neither ionic or polar and water molecules therefore cannot electrostatically
interact with them.
Instead, water molecules interact with themselves but the presence of apolar
molecules alter the pattern of H bond interaction.
A cage-like arrangement of H2O molecules (called a clathrate) forms around the
hydrophobic molecules.
A clathrate represents a highly ordered arrangement. This is thermodynamically
unfavorable and the hydrophobic molecules coalesce spontaneously
which reduces surface area exposure to the water.
Sol (g/l)
<0.06
<0.06
<0.06
<0.06
0.04
0.01
0
0
0
alcohol
methanol
ethanol
propanol
butanol
pentanol
hexanol
heptanol
octanol
nonanol
Sol (g/l)
infinite
infinite
infinite
90
27
6
1.8
0.5
0
methane
methanol
OH
hexane
hexanol
glucose
(910 g/l)
-melting point
-boiling point
-heat capacity
-surface tension
-dielectric constant