AP Biology

Unit 1: The Chemistry of Life

Structure of Water and Hydrogen Bonding

Water has many properties that make it suitable to sustain life:

 Solvent properties of water: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/water-acids-

and-bases/hydrogen-bonding-in-water/a/water-as-a-solvent
 Cohesion and adhesion of water: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/water-
acids-and-bases/cohesion-and-adhesion/a/cohesion-and-adhesion-in-water
 Specific heat, heat capacity and density of water:
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/water-acids-and-bases/water-as-a-solid-
liquid-and-gas/a/specific-heat-heat-of-vaporization-and-freezing-of-water

These properties are the results of the polarity of water molecules and its ability to form
hydrogen bonds with water molecules.

Polarity of Water Molecules

Water is classified as a polar molecule because of its polar covalent bonds and its tetrahedral
structure.

A water molecule retains its tetrahedral structure because the oxygen atom has covalent bonds
with two hydrogen atoms as well as carries two pairs of unshared electrons. Each electron pair
repels the other and moves farthest away from each other, resulting in a tetrahedral shape.

The polarity of a water molecule is due to the partial negative/positive charge that is carried by
each electron pair. The two unshared electron pair of the oxygen atom carry a partial negative
charge since oxygen as an element is electronegative. And each of the two covalent bonds
between oxygen and hydrogen electrons carries a partial positive charge. This is what results in a
water molecule’s polarity and stable structure.