Edexcel AS Biology

Topic 1 Lifestyle, health and risk

Water in living organisms

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The chemistry of water Between 60 and 70% of your body is water. The importance of water to biological systems is due to the basic chemical properties of its molecules. The chemical formula of water is H2O: Two atoms of hydrogen are joined to one atom of oxygen to make up each water molecule.

Properties of water: 1- Polarity: Water is a "polar" molecule, meaning that there is an uneven distribution of charge over its surface. Water has a very slightly negative charge ( ) near the oxygen atom, and very slightly positive charges ( ) near the hydrogen atoms. This separation of charge is called a dipole.

Each hydrogen atom is covalently bonded to the oxygen via a shared pair of electrons. Oxygen also has two unshared pairs of electrons. Thus there are 4 pairs of electrons surrounding the oxygen atom, two pairs involved in covalent bonds with hydrogen, and two unshared pairs on the opposite side of the oxygen atom. Oxygen is an "electronegative" or electron "loving" atom compared with hydrogen.

Edexcel AS Biology

Topic 1 Lifestyle, health and risk

2- Hydrogen bonds: Weak electrostatic attraction forms between the slightly positive charges ( ) near the hydrogen atoms, and the slightly negative charge ( ) near the oxygen atom which results in the formation of a hydrogen bond.

Water molecules form hydrogen bonds which hold them together

The molecules of water stick together more than expected, because although each hydrogen bond is weak, there is a great number of them.

3- High melting and boiling points: Water has relatively high melting point (the temperature at which the solid melts to become a liquid .) and boiling point ( temperature at which a substance changes its state from liquid to gas ) compared with other substances that have molecules of a similar size, as it absorbs more energy to overcome the attractive forces of all the hydrogen bonds. Importance: As water evaporates, it absorbs relatively high amounts of heat, thus causing a cooling effect. Water has high specific heat capacity: (the heat required to raise unit mass of substance by one degree of temperature.) Importance: This means that water resists temperature changes and has a role in temperature moderation or keeping body temperature constant. 4- Water is an unusual and excellent solvent: The fact that the water molecule has a dipole means that it dissolves: - Ionic substances like sodium chloride: the positive ions are attracted to the negative poles of water molecules, and the negative ions are attracted to the positive poles of water molecules, causing the positive and negative ions to separate, which keeps them in solution- dissolved. - Polar covalent compounds (compounds with covalent bonds but with small charges on different parts of the molecule) also readily dissolve in water and will not dissolve in organic solvents. - Non polar substances and chemicals that do not form ions form colloids: with solute particles larger than the solvent particles. The solute particles are spread through the water, but do not separate out.
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Edexcel AS Biology

Topic 1 Lifestyle, health and risk

Importance: Because chemical reactions within cells occur in water (in aqueous solutions)

Insoluble particles can form: Emulsions: tiny droplets of one liquid suspended in another liquid. E.g. oil and water Suspensions: A solid mixed with a liquid in which the particles separate out if not constantly stirred. E.g. Blood is a suspension of cells and platelets in plasma.

5- Water has high surface tension: Because water molecules form hydrogen bonds which tend to pull them down and together. When water and air meet, on the surface of water, there is no such attraction. So the water layer holds together forming a thin skin of surface tension. Importance: transport of water in plants, life at the surface of ponds, lakes and other water masses. 6- The water molecule is amphoteric: It can act both as an acid: forming H+ ions and is a proton donor. and as a base: forming OH- and is a proton acceptor. Importance: The ability of water molecules to donate and receive protons causes it to act as a buffer for chemical reactions, preventing change of pH inside the cell.