Biological Molecules

Question 1

What are the characteristics of water that relate to its role for living organisms and what causes these characteristics?

Answer 1

• High boiling-point and specific heat capacity caused by strong hydrogen-bonding network
• Water can act as a solvent for polar or charged substances as a result of its polarity
• Ice is less denser than water so floats; this is caused by the rigid and open tetrahedral network of water molecules formed when water freezes
• Water has cohesive (sticking to itself) and adhesive (sticking to other materials) properties due to its polarity causing it to form intermolecular bonds with itself and other polar substances