water Flashcards
1
Q
Critical properties of water?
A
Stable, covalent molecule.
Solvent properties
Unusual thermal properties
Has direct role in stability of other molecules in cell.
Has direct role in chemical reaction mechanisms
2
Q
Why is water a great solvent?
A
It can shield ion charges due to its dielectric constant, a hydration shell is formed around the ions.
3
Q
How do we calculate the energy of interaction?
A
E=k(q1q2/epsilon(r))
Look at water lecture notes for in-depth analysis and examples
4
Q
What is a clathrate?
A
A cage like arrangement of water molecules that forms around hydrophobic molecules. Clathrates are highly ordered and therefore it is an entropy driven process.
