Biochemistry of Water

Biochemistry Of Water
Topics

● Specific Heat Capacity of Water

● Latent Heat
○ Latent Heat of Vaporization
○ Latent Heat of Fusion
 Biochemistry of Water
The thermal or heat energy required to raise
the temperature of 1kg of a substance by 1°C
refers to it’s specific heat capacity.

• The standard heat capacity of water or, c, is

4.2 J g-¹°C or 4190 J/kg-¹K-¹
• The formula which can be used to calculate Specific Heat
the energy required is E=mc∆T where m is Capacity of Water
mass and ∆T is change in temperature

Carbon Oxygen
Hydroge
Nitrogen
n
 Explanation
Since the specific heat capacity of a substance is the
amount of energy needed to cause a change in
temperature, the amount of thermal energy required
to make water boil can be calculated.

• By using the formula E=mc∆T we can see why

water in the sea doesn’t just boil

• Say for instance we tried to boil 100g of water from

room temperature at 26°C to 100°C
• m= 100
• c=4.2
• ∆T= 100-26 = 74
• E= 31080 J/g-1°C

• Since a substantial amount of energy is needed to

cause this change in temperature, it displays the
benefits of water’s high heat capacity
 Specific Latent Heat

What Specific Latent heat refers to the heat or thermal energy

Is required to change the state 1kg of a substance without a
It? change in temperature.

This change in state can be from;

Solid Liquid Gas

 Biochemistry

Temperature Kinetic Energy

Along with an increase in This increase in movement
temperature the particles begin means that the kinetic energy of
to move more the molecules also increases

Heat Energy However

As the molecules increase in Since numerous hydrogen bonds
their motion, this kinetic energy are present between water
is transformed into heat energy molecules, a lot of energy is
needed to break them

Constant Temperature Heat capacity and

Since so much energy Is needed Latent Heat
This need for intense energy and
to break the hydrogen bonds it is
thus temp. to break H2O bonds
no longer contributed to an
shows it heat capacity and the
increase in temperate, thus it
halt in temp. increase is where
stays constant
latent heat occurs
 Latent Heat

Fusion Vaporization

The heat needed The heat needed

to change 1kg of Without a to change 1kg of
a substance from a substance from
solid to liquid or change in liquid to vapour
vice versa or vice versa
temperature
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Latent Heat

● The formula used to calculate the heat energy needed to

cause a change in state is E=ml where
● m is mass and l is latent heat

● The standard value for

• The standard value for
the latent heat of
the latent heat of fusion
vaporization of water is
Water 2260 000JKg-¹
of ice is 330 000JKg-¹
Ice
(vaporization
(fusion)
)
O

P CH
3
 Real Life Applications

This high heat capacity of helps maintain a stable body

20% temperature for aquatic life. This is because too much
thermal energy is needed to make the heat the entire ocean
along with animals’ blubber which keeps them warm.

The knowledge of the latent heat of vaporization can be

applied within the extinguishing of fire. Since water can
45% turn into steam which is able to absorb a large amount of
latent heat of the fire, therefore extinguishing it quickly.

The latent heat of fusion can applied when looking at

ice in a liquid. During the melting of ice a large quantity
35% of specific heat is absorbed by the drink causing its
temperature to approach the melting limit of ice.
 Biochemistry of Water

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Gp
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