2.

2 Water

Water molecules

Polar Covalent bond

Q: Explain the structure of water molecules

 Water molecule is made of 1 atom of oxygen and 2 atoms of hydrogen.

 Oxygen exerts a greater pull over the shared electrons. This unequal sharing of electrons results
in a partial negative charge at the oxygen and a partial positive charge at the hydrogen. As a
result, the water molecule is polar (dipolar) and the hydrogen and oxygen atoms are held
together by a polar covalent bond.
 Due to the opposite charges at the two ends, each water molecule binds to 4 other water
molecules by a hydrogen bond, which is a strong bond.

Properties of water & their significance (benefit to living organisms)

Hydrogen bonding and dipolarity explain the cohesive, adhesive, thermal and solvent properties of
water.

Thermal properties:

1. High specific heat capacity: which means that a considerable amount of energy is needed to
increase its temperature. This is due to the strength of the hydrogen bonds which are not easily
broken. This is why the temperature of water tends to remain relatively stable.

Benefit to living organisms: It is beneficial for aquatic animals as they use water as a habitat.

2. High Latent heat of vaporization: Water absorbs a great deal of heat to evaporate, due to the H
bonds.

Benefit to living organisms: water acts as an excellent coolant; the evaporation of water
(sweat/transpiration) cools body surfaces.
3. High boiling point
It boils at 100 C because the strong hydrogen bonds.

Benefit to living organisms:

- The high boiling point of water is vital for making liquid water available to organisms / water
is liquid over a range of temperatures.

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Cohesive properties
Cohesion is the effect of hydrogen bonds holding the water molecules together. Water molecules stick
to each other.

Benefit to living organisms:

- Water moves up plants (via xylem) against gravity.
- Creates surface tension which allows some insects to move on water’s surface

Adhesive properties
Water is also adhesive, as it sticks to surfaces. This explains why water forms into droplets when spilled.

Benefit to living organisms:

- Water moves up plants (via xylem) against gravity.

Solvent properties
Many different substances (polar) can dissolve in it because of its dipolarity; universal solvent.

Benefit to living organisms:

- Water acts as a medium for metabolic reactions: aqueous solutions act as a medium in
which specific biochemical reactions take place. Aqueous solutions include the blood
plasma, cytoplasm, nucleoplasm, stroma, etc.

- Water acts as a transport medium.

 In plants, allows dissolved sugars (sap) to be transported in the phloem from the
leaves to the stems, roots and flowers of a plant.
 In animals, allows substances to be carried in the blood such as glucose and amino
acids.

Summary of water properties and their benefits to living things:

Water property Significance/ Benefit to living organisms

1. high specific heat capacity Makes water a stable environment; a habitat for many aquatic
organisms
2. High Latent heat of water absorbs heat when it evaporates; an excellent coolant
vaporization
3. high boiling point making liquid water available to organisms / water is liquid over
a range of temperatures
4. cohesion allow transport in plants
5. Surface tension Allow organisms to walk on water surface
6. Adhesion Water moves up plants (via xylem) against gravity
7. Solvent - Water is a transport medium; many substances dissolve in water
and can be transported
- chemical reactions take place in water
8. transparent allows light to pass through for photosynthesis
9. most dense at 4°C so ice floats over water providing winter habitat

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Use of water as a coolant in sweat

 Water has a high latent heat of vaporization which means that water takes a lot of heat to
evaporate.
 This is due to the hydrogen bonds between water molecules.
 This is very important as a cooling mechanism for living organisms.
 As humans sweat, the water absorbs heat from the blood flowing under our skin causing the
water to evaporate and our body to cool down.
 This cooling is controlled by negative feedback
 If the body is overheated, receptors in the hypothalamus sense this and stimulate the sweat
glands to secrete sweat.
 Some reptiles such as crocodiles cool by opening their mouths (gaping). Dogs also pant
which causes water to evaporate from their upper respiratory tract.

Substances can be hydrophilic or hydrophobic

Hydrophilic substances

 Hydrophilic means “water loving”

 Include all substances that dissolve in water; polar substances
 examples: charged ions such as Na+/ polar substances such as glucose and fructose

Hydrophobic substances

 hydrophobic means “water fearing”

 Include all substances that are insoluble in water; non polar substances.
 Examples: non polar molecules such as lipids

Modes of transport of glucose, amino acids, cholesterol, fats, oxygen and sodium chloride in blood in
relation to their solubility in water.

 Water is dipolar; universal solvent

 Solubility of substances depend on their polarity
 Polar substances are soluble in water/non polar are insoluble in water.
 Water act as a transport medium for most substances.


Glucose

 polar molecule
 soluble in water
 transported in the blood plasma

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Amino acids

 Positive and negative charges (due to the amine and acid groups) therefore soluble in water
 R group varies, can be polar, non-polar or charged
 R group determines the degree of solubility
 Soluble enough to be carried by the blood plasma

Cholesterol

 hydrophobic
 a small hydrophilic region at one end
 This is not enough to make cholesterol dissolve in water
 They are carried in blood in lipoprotein complexes (in the plasma)

Fats

 Large, non-polar molecules

 insoluble in water
 They are carried in blood inside lipoprotein complexes (in the plasma)
 The lipoprotein complex’s outer layer consists of single layer of phospholipid molecules. The
hydrophilic heads of the phospholipids face outwards and are in contact with water whereas the
hydrophobic tails face inwards and are in contact with the fats/cholesterol.

Oxygen

 Non-polar molecule
 Due to the small size of an oxygen molecule it is soluble in water.
 water becomes saturated with oxygen at relatively low concentrations
 As temperature increases the solubility of oxygen decreases
 At body temperature (37 °C) very little oxygen can be carried by the plasma, too little to support
aerobic respiration
 hemoglobin in red blood cells carry the majority of oxygen
 Hemoglobin has (4) binding sites for oxygen

Sodium chloride

 ionic compound
 freely soluble in water
 dissolving to form sodium ions (Na+) and chloride ions (Cl-)
 carried in the blood plasma

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Comparison of the thermal properties of water with those of methane.

Methane

 waste product of anaerobic respiration in certain prokaryotes living in anaerobic conditions

(Methanogenic prokaryotes).
 Methanogenic prokaryotes can be found in in swamps, wetlands, the guts of animals (including
cattle and sheep)
 Methane can be used as a fuel
 If present in the atmosphere it contributes to the greenhouse effect.

Methane Water

Structure

    
Formula CH4 H2O
Polarity Non-polar Polar
Bonding Single covalent bonds
Since water is polar it has stronger intermolecular attraction (H-bonds) and
therefore has a much greater specific heat capacity, latent heat of vaporization,
melting point and boiling point
Density (g cm-3) 0.46 1 (larger)
Specific Heat
Capacity 2.2 4.2 (larger)
(J g-1 oc-1)
Latent heat of
760 2257 (larger)
vaporization (J g-1)
Melting point (oC) -182 0 (larger)
Boiling point (oC) -160 100 (larger)