WATER
What is water?
Chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. It contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms which are connected by covalent bond.
Life on earth is believed originated from water Most abundant liquid on earth and covers 71% of the earth surface Exists in the form of solid(ice), liquid(water) or gaseous state(water vapour) Makes up between 65-95% by mass of plant and animals Essential for life Unique chemical and physical properties
Properties of water
1. Polarity of water
Water is formed when 2 hydrogen atoms combine with an oxygen atom by sharing electrons and covalent bonds are formed The shape of the water molecule is triangular and the angle between the nuclei of the atoms is about 104.50
For water molecule, there is partial negative charge on oxygen atom and partial positive charge on hydrogen atom This unequal distribution of electrical charge makes the water molecule to become polar molecule (water known as dipolar molecule) This property makes water a good solvent and important for our daily life (polar and ionic substances can dissolve on it)
Water molecule forms weak bonds (hydrogen bond) with other water molecules nearby One water molecule can connect to other 4 water molecules by hydrogen bonding Hydrogen bonding is about 20 times weaker than covalent bond Hydrogen bond is an important force to hold together water molecules and makes it stable substance
2. Water and temperature
Water exists as liquid at room temperature due to hydrogen bonding Water molecules can exists in three forms that are solid, liquid or gaseous
Water has high specify heat of capacity which is 4.2 kJ/kg/K, that means 4.2 kJ is needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg water by 1 K. The amount of heat is used to break the hydrogen bonding which restrict the movement of molecules This makes water as a good temperature buffer because the temperature of water does not increase as fast as other substances but remain relatively constant
Water has high latent heat of vaporisation which is about 2260 kJ /kg that means 2260 kJ of heat energy is required to vaporise the water to break the hydrogen bonding so that they can escape as gas As water evaporates from a surface, it draws heat energy underneath and creating cooling effect (sweating)
Heat energy is drawn so that cooling effect occurs
Water has high latent heat of fusion which is 340 kJ/ kg that means 340 kJ of heat energy is required to melt ice OR loss of heat of liquid water to freeze When water at 0 0C, it must lose a lot of heat energy before it forms ice crystals (freeze).
3. Water density
Water is relatively high density compared to with air and most dense at 40C The temperature of bottom of ocean or big lake remain relatively constant at 40C so that the aquatic animals can survive in deep ocean and lake when the environmental temperature falls High density of water also allows buoyancy in aquatic animals
When water freezes, it forms 4 hydrogen bonding with 4 other water molecules This makes rigid lattice which hold water molecules further apart Thats why water expands when it freezes So, ice less dense that liquid water and floats on water
Lattice = geometrical arrangement
4. Water viscosity
Viscosity is the property of a fluid that resists the force that cause the fluid to flow Water has low viscosity due to hydrogen bonds between water molecules continually broken and reformed This allow water molecules to slide easily and flow less friction through narrow vessels Acts as lubricant to allow food moves down alimentary canal
Alimentary canal
5. Cohesive and adhesive forces and surface tension
Cohesion = attraction between molecules of similar substances Adhesion = attraction between molecules of different substances Thus water molecules can stick together and stick to other surfaces These forces enable water to move along stem of plants (xylem)
Capillarity = a process against gravity where attraction between molecules enables water to enter and move along very narrow spaces
At air-water interface, the inwardly acting cohesive forces produce high surface tension at the surface of water This surface tension is strong enough to support the weight of small animal so that they can skipping on it Water striders can walk on surface on water because fine hairs at the end of their legs spread their weight over a large area
Other properties of water
Transparent to sunlight Difficult to compress Conducts electricity A neutral medium
Summary of some biologically important functions of water
Functions
1. Cell structure 2. Solvent and hydrolysis
Examples
- Important component of protoplasm (60-95%) -Solvent for solutes (biochemical reaction) - hydrolyses polysaccharide into monosaccharides, protein into amino acids, fats into fatty acids and glycerol - Water is needed for photosynthesis process - Enables diffusion of substances across plasma membrane
3. Metabolites 4. Medium for diffusion
5. Transport medium
-Blood plasma transport food, gases, hormones, salt - helps in osmoregulation of body fluids
-Hydroskeleton for earthworm - amniotic fluid supports and protects foetus -Mucus in alimentary canal -Synovial fluid in joints
6. Support
7. Lubricants and secretions
8. Habitat 9. Medium for movement, dispersal and migration
- Provide aquatic environment for aquatic organisms like whale -Medium for swimming gametes, dispersal of fruits and seeds - helps to break pericarp of some fruits and their testa for germination - Evaporation of sweat cools our body - Creates tension to pull water and dissolved minerals from root to the aerial parts
10. Temperature control 11. transpiration
Transpiration
Exercise
1. A water molecule has ______ charge distribution within the molecule. The oxygen atom has a slight _____ charge and the hydrogen atom has a slight _____ charge. It is said to be ______ molecule. One water molecule can form bonds with _______ other water molecules.
2. Water is called the universal _____ because polar and ionic substances can dissolve readily in it.
THANK YOU
