The Extraordinary Properties of Water

What are
the
Properties
of Water?
 Properties of Water
• Polar molecule
• Cohesion and
adhesion
• High specific heat
• Density – greatest
at 4oC
• Universal solvent of
life
WATER
A water molecule (H2O), is made up
of three atoms --- one oxygen and
two hydrogen.

H
O
 Water is Polar
• In each water molecule, the oxygen
atom attracts more than its "fair
share" of electrons
• The oxygen end “acts” negative
• The hydrogen end “acts” positive
• Causes the water to be POLAR
• However, Water is neutral (equal
number of e- and p+) --- Zero Net
Charge
• Water has a variety of unusual properties
because of attractions between these polar
molecules.
– The slightly negative regions of one molecule are
attracted to the slightly positive regions of nearby
molecules, forming a hydrogen bond.
– Each water molecule
can form hydrogen
bonds with up to
four neighbors.

Fig. 3.1
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Hydrogen Bonds Exist Between
Water Molecules
• Formed between a highly
Electronegative atom of
a polar molecule and a
Hydrogen
• One hydrogen bond is
weak , but many
hydrogen bonds are
strong
 Interaction Between Water
Molecules
Negative Oxygen end of one water molecule is
attracted to the Positive Hydrogen end of another
water molecule to form a HYDROGEN BOND
 HYDROGEN BONDS
• Hold water molecules • Extraordinary Properties that
together are a result of hydrogen
• Each water molecule can bonds.
– Cohesive behavior
form a maximum of 4
– Resists changes in temperature
hydrogen bonds
– High heat of vaporization
• The hydrogen bonds
– Expands when it freezes
joining water molecules – Versatile solvent
are weak, about 1/20th as
strong as covalent bonds.
• They form, break, and
reform with great
frequency
 Properties of Water
• At sea level, pure water boils at
100 °C and freezes at 0 °C.

• The boiling temperature of water

decreases at higher elevations
(lower atmospheric pressure).

• For this reason, an egg will take

longer to boil at higher altitudes
 Cohesion
• Attraction between particles of the
same substance ( why water is
attracted to itself)
• Results in Surface tension (a measure
of the strength of water’s surface)
• Produces a surface film on water that
allows insects to walk on the surface
of water
Cohesion …

Helps insects walk across

water
• Surface tension, a measure of the force
necessary to stretch or break the surface of a
liquid, is related to cohesion.
– Water has a greater surface tension than most
other liquids because hydrogen bonds among
surface water molecules resist stretching or
breaking the surface.
– Water behaves as if
covered by an invisible
film.
– Some animals can stand,
walk, or run on water
without breaking the
Fig. 3.3
surface.
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
 Adhesion
• Attraction between two different
substances.
• Water will make hydrogen bonds with other
surfaces such as glass, soil, plant tissues,
and cotton.
• Capillary action-water molecules will “tow”
each other along when in a thin glass tube.
• Example: transpiration process which plants
and trees remove water from the soil, and
paper towels soak up water.
Adhesion Causes Capillary
Action

Which gives water the

ability to “climb”
structures
 Organisms Depend on Cohesion
Hydrogen bonds hold the substance
together, a phenomenon called cohesion
• Cohesion is responsible for the
transport of the water column in
plants
• Cohesion among water molecules
plays a key role in the transport of
water against gravity in plants
• Adhesion, clinging
of one substance to
another, contributes
too, as water adheres
to the wall of the
vessels.
Adhesion Also Causes Water to
…

Attach to a
silken spider
Form spheres &
web
hold onto plant
leaves
 High Specific Heat
• Amount of heat needed to raise or
lower 1g of a substance 1° C.

• Water resists temperature change,

both for heating and cooling.

• Water can absorb or release large

amounts of heat energy with little
change in actual temperature.
 Specific Heat is the amount of heat that must be
absorbed or lost for one gram of a substance to change
its temperature by 1oC.

Three-fourths of the earth is covered

by water. The water serves as a
large heat sink responsible for:
1. Prevention of temperature
fluctuations that are outside the
range suitable for life.
2. Coastal areas having a mild
climate
3. A stable marine environment
 Moderates Temperatures on Earth
Water stabilizes air temperatures by absorbing heat from
warmer air and releasing heat to cooler air.
Water can absorb or release relatively large amounts of heat
with only a slight change in its own temperature.

Celsius Scale at Sea Level • What is kinetic energy?

• Heat?
100oC Water boils
• Temperature?
37oC Human body • Calorie?
temperature
• What is the difference in
 
23oC Room temperature cal and Cal?
• What is specific heat?
0oC Water freezes
 High Heat of Vaporization

• Amount of energy to convert 1g or

a substance from a liquid to a gas

• In order for water to evaporate,

hydrogen bonds must be broken.

• As water evaporates, it removes a

lot of heat with it.
 High Heat of Vaporization

• Water's heat of vaporization is 540

cal/g.
• In order for water to evaporate,
each gram must GAIN 540 calories
(temperature doesn’t change ---
100oC).
• As water evaporates, it removes a
lot of heat with it (cooling effect).
Evaporative Cooling
• The cooling of a
surface occurs when
the liquid evaporates
• This is responsible for:
– Moderating earth’s
climate
– Stabilizes
temperature in
aquatic ecosystems
– Preventing organisms
from overheating
• Water vapor forms a kind of
global ‘‘blanket” which helps to
keep the Earth warm.
• Heat radiated from the sun
warmed surface of the earth is
absorbed and held
by the vapor.
vapor
 Water is Less Dense as a
Solid
• Ice is less dense as a solid than as a
liquid (ice floats)
• Liquid water has hydrogen bonds that
are constantly being broken and
reformed.
• Frozen water forms a crystal-like
lattice whereby molecules are set at
fixed distances.
 Water is Less Dense as a
Solid
•Which is ice and which is water?
Water is Less Dense as a
Solid
Water Ice
 Density of Water
• Most dense at 4oC
• Contracts until 4oC
• Expands from 4oC to
0oC

The density of water:

1. Prevents water from freezing from the bottom up.
2. Ice forms on the surface first—the freezing of the
water releases heat to the water below creating
insulation.
3. Makes transition between season less abrupt.
 Homeostasis
• Ability to maintain a steady state
despite changing conditions
• Water is important to this process
because:
a. Makes a good insulator
b. Resists temperature change
c. Universal solvent
d. Coolant
e. Ice protects against temperature
extremes (insulates frozen
lakes)
 Solvent for Life
• Solution
– Solute
– solvent
• Aqueous solution
• Hydrophilic
– Ionic compounds
dissolve in water
– Polar molecules
(generally) are water
soluble
• Hydrophobic
– Nonpolar compounds
 Solutions & Suspensions
• Water is usually part of a
mixture.
• There are two types of mixtures:
– Solutions
– Suspensions
 Solution
• Ionic compounds disperse as ions in
water
• Evenly distributed
• SOLUTE
– Substance that is being dissolved
• SOLVENT
– Substance into which the solute
dissolves
Solution
 Suspensions
• Substances that
don’t dissolve but
separate into tiny
pieces.
• Water keeps the
pieces suspended
so they don’t
settle out.
 Acids, Bases and pH
One water molecule in 550 million
naturally dissociates into a Hydrogen
Ion (H+) and a Hydroxide Ion (OH-)

-
H2 O  H +
+ OH
Hydrogen Ion Hydroxide Ion
Acid Base
 The pH Scale
• Indicates the concentration of H+
ions
• Ranges from 0 – 14
• pH of 7 is neutral
• pH 0 up to 7 is acid … H+
• pH above 7 – 14 is basic…
b OH-
• Each pH unit represents a factor of
10X change in concentration
• pH 3 is 10 x 10 x 10 (1000)
stronger than a pH of 6
 Acids
• Strong
Acids
have a pH
of 1-3
• Produce
lots of
H+ ions
 Bases
• Strong
Bases have
a pH of 11
to 14
• Contain
lots of OH-
ions and
fewer H+
ions
 Human biology and pH
• Your blood maintains a pH of 7.35 – 7.45
(slightly basic)
– Balance is maintained by buffers in blood,
breathing, and urinating
Quick Quiz
1.Draw a water molecule with labeled atoms
and charges.
2.What is the property called that describes
water sticking to itself?
3.What makes a solution acidic?
4.What has a higher pH, bleach or lemon
juice?
5.Why do we sweat?