The Properties of Water
Water is the most abundant compound on Earth’s surface. In nature, water exists in the
liquid, solid, and gaseous states. It is in dynamic equilibrium between the liquid and gas
states at 0 degrees Celsius and 1 atm of pressure. At room temperature (approximately
25 degrees Celsius), it is a tasteless, odorless, and colorless liquid. Many substances
dissolve in water, and it is commonly referred to as the universal solvent.
Water is a very good solvent
Water molecules are polar, so they form hydrogen bonds. This gives
water unique properties, such as a relatively high boiling point, high
specific heat, cohesion, adhesion, and density.
Cohesion
Hydrogen bonds hold water molecules together, as seen in the picture above.
Cohesion creates surface tension which is why if you fill a spoon with water,
drop by drop, the water volume will actually be bigger than the spoon's surface
before the water falls off.
Here is video showing how a paperclip can ""float"" on water - it's actually being held up
by the hydrogen bonds formed between water molecules which give water its surface
tension.
Polarity
A water molecule is slightly charged on both ends. This is because oxygen is more
electronegative than hydrogen.
Adhesion
Similar to cohesion, but adhesion is when the hydrogen bonds in water allow for
the water molecules to be held to another subtance.
High Specific Heat
Specific heat is amount of heat absorbed or lost for 1g to change 1ºC, which in
the case of water, is pretty high. This allows for evaporative cooling to
occur, which is when heat energy is transferred to water molecules , and
evaporating water removes a lot of heat energy from an organism (eg. when we
sweat)
Other important characteristics of water involve it being a universal solvent,
along with its unusual density. Water, unlike any other solid-liquid, is more
dense in its liquid form than as a solid, which is why ice floats, and this allows for
entire habitats to exist underneath layers of ice floating on oceans. Its neutral
pH (7) is also a relevant characteristic.
Chemical Structure of Water
Each molecule of water consists of one atom of oxygen and two atoms of hydrogen, so it has the
chemical formula H2O. The arrangement of atoms in a water molecule, shown in
Figure 2.11.22.11.2, explains many of the water’s chemical properties. In each water
molecule, the nucleus of the oxygen atom (with 8 positively charged protons) attracts electrons
much more strongly than do the hydrogen nuclei (with only one positively charged proton). This
results in a negative electrical charge near the oxygen atom (due to the "pull" of the negatively
charged electrons toward the oxygen nucleus) and a positive electrical charge near the hydrogen
atoms. A difference in electrical charge between different parts of a molecule is called polarity.
A polar molecule is a molecule in which part of the molecule is positively charged and part of
the molecule is negatively charged. Due to polarity in charge within the water molecule, it can
dissolve salts. Figure 2.11.32.11.3 illustrates how water dissolves ionically bonded sodium
chloride. Therefore, water is considered a very good solvent in the biochemical reactions.
Figure 2.11.22.11.2: This model is an atomic diagram of water, showing the two hydrogen
atoms and an oxygen atom in the center. the electrons circle each nucleus.
Figure 2.11.32.11.3:
This diagram shows the positive and negative parts of a water molecule. It also depicts how a charge,
such as on an ion (Na or Cl, for example) can interact with a water molecule. (CC BY-NC 4.0
via opentextbc biology)
Hydrogen Bonding
Figure 2.11.42.11.4: Hydrogen
bonds form between positively and negatively charged parts of water molecules. The bonds hold the
water molecules together. How do you think this might affect water’s properties? (CC BY-NC 4.0
via lumenlearning.com)
Opposite electrical charges attract one another. Therefore, the positive part of one water
molecule is attracted to the negative parts of other water molecules. Because of this attraction,
bonds form between hydrogen and oxygen atoms of adjacent water molecules, as demonstrated
in Figure 2.11.42.11.4. This type of bond always involves a hydrogen atom, so it is called
a hydrogen bond.
Hydrogen bonds can also form within a single large organic molecule. For example, hydrogen
bonds that form between different parts of a protein molecule bend the molecule into a
distinctive shape, which is important for the protein’s functions. Hydrogen bonds also hold
together the two nucleotide chains of a DNA molecule.
Sticky, Wet Water
Water has some unusual properties due to its hydrogen bonds. One property
is cohesion, the tendency for water molecules to stick together. The
cohesive forces between water molecules are responsible for the
phenomenon known as surface tension. The molecules at the surface do
not have other like molecules on all sides of them and consequently, they
cohere more strongly to those directly associated with them on the surface.
For example, if you drop a tiny amount of water onto a very smooth surface,
the water molecules will stick together and form a droplet, rather than
spread out over the surface. The same thing happens when water slowly
drips from a leaky faucet. The water doesn't fall from the faucet as individual
water molecules but as droplets of water.
