BIOLOGY

CONCEPTS & CONNECTIONS Fourth Edition

Neil A. Campbell Jane B. Reece Lawrence G. Mitchell Martha R. Taylor

CHAPTER 2 The Chemical Basis of Life

Modules 2.9 2.17
From PowerPoint Lectures for Biology: Concepts & Connections
Copyright 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings

THE PROPERTIES OF WATER 2.9 Water is a polar molecule Atoms in a covalently bonded molecule may share electrons equally, creating a nonpolar molecule If electrons are shared unequally, a polar molecule is created

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 In a water molecule, oxygen exerts a stronger pull on the shared electrons than hydrogen
This makes the oxygen end of the molecule slightly negatively charged The hydrogen end of the molecule is slightly positively charged Water is therefore a polar molecule
Copyright 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings

()

()

O H
(+)

H
(+)

Figure 2.9

2.10 Overview: Waters polarity leads to hydrogen bonding and other unusual properties The charged regions on water molecules are attracted to the oppositely charged regions on nearby molecules
This attraction forms weak bonds called hydrogen bonds
Figure 2.10A
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Hydrogen bond

 Like no other common substance, water exists in nature in all three physical states:
as a solid as a liquid as a gas

Figure 2.10B

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2.11 Hydrogen bonds make liquid water cohesive Due to hydrogen bonding, water molecules can move from a plants roots to its leaves

Insects can walk on water due to surface tension created by cohesive water molecules
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Figure 2.11

2.12 Waters hydrogen bonds moderate temperature It takes a lot of energy to disrupt hydrogen bonds
Therefore water is able to absorb a great deal of heat energy without a large increase in temperature As water cools, a slight drop in temperature releases a large amount of heat

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 A water molecule takes a large amount of energy with it when it evaporates This leads to evaporative cooling

Figure 2.12
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2.13 Ice is less dense than liquid water Molecules in ice are farther apart than those in liquid water

Hydrogen bond

ICE Hydrogen bonds are stable

Figure 2.13
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LIQUID WATER Hydrogen bonds constantly break and re-form

 Ice is therefore less dense than liquid water, which causes it to float If ice sank, it would seldom have a chance to thaw
Ponds, lakes, and oceans would eventually freeze solid

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2.14 Water is a versatile solvent Solutes whose charges or polarity allow them to stick to water molecules dissolve in water
They form aqueous solutions
Cl + Na+ + Na+ Cl + +

Ions in solution
Figure 2.14
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Salt crystal

2.15 The chemistry of life is sensitive to acidic and basic conditions A compound that releases H+ ions in solution is an acid, and one that accepts H+ ions in solution is a base Acidity is measured on the pH scale:
0-7 is acidic 8-14 is basic Pure water and solutions that are neither basic nor acidic are neutral, with a pH of 7
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pH scale

H+ OH

Increasingly ACIDIC (Higher concentration of H+)

The pH scale

Lemon juice; gastric juice Grapefruit juice Tomato juice

Acidic solution

Urine PURE WATER Human blood Seawater

NEUTRAL [H+] = [OH]

Neutral solution

Increasingly BASIC (Lower concentration of H+)

Milk of magnesia Household ammonia Household bleach Oven cleaner

Figure 2.15

Basic solution

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 Cells are kept close to pH 7 by buffers

Buffers are substances that resist pH change

They accept H+ ions when they are in excess and donate H+ ions when they are depleted

Buffers are not foolproof

Copyright 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings

2.16 Connection: Acid precipitation threatens the environment Some ecosystems are threatened by acid precipitation

Acid precipitation is formed when air pollutants from burning fossil fuels combine with water vapor in the air to form sulfuric and nitric acids

Figure 2.16A
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 These acids can kill fish, damage buildings, and injure trees Regulations, new technology, and energy conservation may help us reduce acid precipitation

Figure 2.16B
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REARRANGEMENTS OF ATOMS 2.17 Chemical reactions rearrange matter In a chemical reaction:

reactants interact
atoms rearrange products result

Figure 2.17A

2 H2

O2

2 H2O

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 Living cells carry out thousands of chemical reactions that rearrange matter in significant ways

Beta-carotene
Figure 2.17B
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Vitamin A (2 molecules)