Chemistry of life

Sree Nitthi Gnanasekaram 1

Introduction

• Water is one of the most abundant and important substances on Earth.

• Its many unique properties allow it to sustain life from the cellular level to
the ecosystem.

• Many of water's unique qualities are due to the polarity of its molecules,
notably their capacity to form hydrogen bonds with one another and with
other molecules.

2
Chemistry of water

3
• Water consists of two hydrogen atoms attached via covalent bonds to
one oxygen atom (H-O-H).

• Water is a polar (dipole) molecule because its hydrogen and oxygen

atoms share electrons unequally due to differences in
electronegativity.

• When the water molecule is formed, two lone pairs are left.

• The two lone pairs associate themselves with the oxygen atom. As a
result, oxygen atoms have a partial negative (δ-) charge, while
hydrogen atoms have a partial positive (δ+) charge.
4
• Because the hydrogen atoms in a water molecule are partially
positively charged, they are attracted to partially negative oxygen
atoms in nearby water molecules, allowing hydrogen bonds (weak
intermolecular electrostatic forces) to form between nearby water
molecules or other molecules with a negative charge.

• While individual hydrogen bonds tend to be weak, they create a

considerable impact when they form in large numbers, which is
usually the case for water and organic polymers.

5
The effects and consequences of hydrogen
bonding in water?
• Hydrogen bonding in water imparts several properties that are important
in sustaining life.

Solvent property

• Water molecules are excellent solvents, buffers, and transport medium.

Polar molecules are hydrophilic ("water-loving") substances. This is because
the negative ion of the solute will attract the positively charged region of
the water molecule and vice versa, causing the ions to dissolve. Ex: NaCl

6
• Water being an excellent solvent means it can dissolve a wide range
of compounds. Since most crucial biochemical processes occur in a
watery environment inside cells, this property of water is critical in
allowing these processes to occur.

Moderation of temperature

• Hydrogen bonding in water molecules gives it a high specific heat

capacity.

7
• The high specific heat capacity of water means it takes a lot of energy
to cause changes in temperature. Therefore, it allows water to
maintain a stable temperature which is vital in sustaining life on Earth.
Also, cells do not heat up or cool down easily as a result.

• Similarly, hydrogen bonding gives water high heat of vaporization

which means that in the process of changing from liquid to gas state,
a lot of energy is consumed, causing the surrounding environment to
cool down and comparatively a little water is used in the porcess.

8
Cohesion
• Hydrogen bonding causes water molecules to stick to each other which
makes water a highly cohesive substance.
• Cohesion results in another property of water: surface tension.
Adhesion
• Water is highly adhesive; it adheres to a wide range of various things.
Water attaches to other things for the same reason it sticks to itself — it is
polar; thus, it is attracted to charged substances. Water attaches to various
surfaces, including plants, utensils, and even your hair when it is wet after
showering.

9
Capillarity

• Capillarity (or capillary action) is the tendency of water to climb up a

surface against the force of gravity due to its adhesive property.

• The cohesion, adhesion, and capillarity are important properties of

water that enable the uptake of water in plants. Water can climb up
the roots thanks to capillarity. It can also move through the xylem to
bring water up to the branches and leaves.

10
Density and freezing properties

• Ice is less dense than water and floats on it, insulating water and
preventing it from freezing, preserving aquatic life underneath it.

11