Biological Molecule :

Water
AS Level Biology
Grade 11
Learning Objective
• Explain how hydrogen bonding occurs between water molecules and
relate the properties of water to its roles in living organisms (limited to
solvent action)
Question to ponder
• What is the importance of water to the life of a cell ?
Introduction to Water
Water possesses many unique qualities that are essential to maintaining viable living
conditions
• Approximately 70% of the cell’s internal environment (i.e. cytoplasm) is water-based
• It is the only substance occurring naturally in all three states (solid, liquid, gas) on the
Earth’s surface
• It is required for the anabolic construction of organic molecules (via condensation
reactions)
• Water is an important medium for metabolic reactions as it is essential enzyme function
• Water is a major component of all cells and has many important
roles within organisms.
Chemical Structure of Water
• Water consists of 2
hydrogen atoms and 1
oxygen atom, giving it the
molecular formula H2O.
The hydrogen atoms are bonded to oxygen atoms
through covalent bonds

Covalent bonds are formed when

electrons are shared between two
atoms in order to fill the outer
shell. A covalent bond is one in
which two atoms share the same
pair of electrons.
The Polar Nature of Water
While this covalent bonding involves the sharing of electrons, they are not
shared equally between the atoms
• Oxygen (due to having a higher electronegativity) attracts the electrons
more strongly 
• The shared electrons orbit closer to the oxygen atom than the hydrogen
atoms resulting in polarity
Hydrogen Bonding
• The dipolarity of a water molecule enables it to form polar
associations with other charged molecules (polar or ionic)

A hydrogen bond is a weak

interaction that occurs
between a slightly negatively
charged atom and a slightly
positively charged atom.
The importance of water
• Synthesizing and breaking down biological molecules
Water is a key reactant used in photosynthesis
The Properties of water
This intermolecular bonding between water molecules gives water
distinct properties not seen in other substances:
• Thermal properties – Water can absorb much heat before changing
state (requires breaking of hydrogen bonds)
• Cohesive / adhesive properties – Water will ‘stick’ to other water
molecules (cohesion) and charged substances (adhesion)
• Solvent properties – Water dissolves polar and ionic substances
(forms competing polar associations to draw materials apart)
Thermal Properties
• Water has the capacity to absorb significant amounts of heat
before changing state
• This is due to the extensive hydrogen bonding between water
molecules – the H-bonds need to be broken before a change in
state can occur and this requires the absorption of energy
(heat)
Solvent Properties
• Water is commonly referred to as the universal solvent due to its
capacity to dissolve a large number of substances

• Water can dissolve any substance that contains charged particles (ions)
or electronegative atoms (polarity)
Solvent Properties of Water
Hydrophobic VS Hydrophilic
• Substances that freely associate and readily dissolve in water are
characterized as hydrophilic (‘water loving’)
Hydrophilic substances include all polar molecules and ions

• Substances that do not freely associate or dissolve in water are

characterized as hydrophobic (‘water-hating’)
Hydrophobic substances include large, non-polar molecules (such
as fats and oils)
2nd Session – Video Recap
• Watch Amoeba Sister video- Properties of Water on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jwAGWky98c

Complete the worksheet in google classroom

Submit to my email : l.mahmudah@kbs.sch.id

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