Chemistry of Water

Shaikha Yaqoub

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 Chemistry of Water
• All living things are 70-90% water.

• Polar molecules.

• Hydrogen-bonded:
because of the H-bonds, water melt at 0 C and
boils at 100 C

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 Properties of Water
 Has a high heat capacity.
 Has a high heat of vaporization.
 Is a Solvent.
 Water molecules are cohesive and
adhesive.
 Has a high surface tension.
 Frozen water is less dense then liquid
water.
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Water has a high heat capacity
• Water absorb heat without great
change in temperature:

1 Calorie is needed to rise the temp. of 1g

of water by 1 C.
Other covalently bonded liquids requires half this
amount of energy.

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 Water has a high heat capacity
• Water holds heat:
1 g of coldest liquid water is
converted to ice by losing 80
Calories
This is important to maintain the
internal temperatures of all organisms
and protect them from rapid change in
Temp.

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 Water has a high heat of
Vaporization
• 1 g of the hottest water
is converted to gas by
an input of 540
calories:
Because hydrogen-bond must
be broken before water boils
then vaporize.

This gives the animals in hot

environment the ability to
release excess body heat
efficiently after sweating.
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Temperature along the coasts
are moderate, why?
Because of the water high heat
capacity and high heat of
vaporization

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 Water is a solvent
• Because of the water polarity:
1) water facilitate chemical
reactions
2) water dissolve great number
of substances. How?
-ve ends of water attached to Na ions,
and the +ve ends attached to Cl, this
causes the separation and
dissociation of Na & Cl in water.

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• Hydrophilic: polar molecules that can be
dissolved in water.

• Hydrophobic: non-polar molecules that

can not be dissolved in water.

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Water molecules are cohesive and
adhesive
• Cohesion: water molecules cling together
and not seperated because of the
Hydrogen-bond.

• Adhesion: water adhere to polar surfaces

because of its polarity.

So, water is an excellent transport system.

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 Water has a high surface tension
• The stronger the force
between molecules in
a liquid, the greater
the surface tension.

• Hydrogen-bond
causes the high
surface tension of
water.

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 Frozen water is less dense then
liquid water
• Ice is less dense than liquid
water, therefore it float on water.

• Ice act as an insulator to prevent

water below from freezing.

• That is why the aquatic

organisms can survive in
winter.

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