Water molecules Flashcards
What type of molecule is a water molecule
Polar molecule
Why is water a polar molecule
The oxygen is slightly negative
Hydrogen is slightly positive
this makes the molecule charged
Why is oxygen slightly negative
It has a greater affinity for electrons because it has more protons in its nucleus compared to the hydrogen
Where do hydrogen bond occurs
Between water molecules
slightly positively charged hydrogen and a slightly negative oxygen of two different water molecules
properties of water molecules on the SPEC
Metabolite
Good solvent
High heat capacity
High latent heat of vaporisation
Strong Cohesion
High Adhesion
less dense as a solid
Properties of water out of SPEC
Transparent
Metabolite- important in the cytoplasm
Water is the basis of all metabolic reaction - reaction occur faster in solution
such as hydrolysis and condensation reaction
Good solvent - important in the cytoplasm
because water is polar the S negative end of a water molecule will be attracted to the positive ions vice versa
So the ion is completely surrounded by water molecules which dissolves it
It also allows for transport of substances
High heat capacity
Takes a lot of heat to temperature due to hydrogen bonds between water molecules
Buffers change in temperatures- allows aquatic creatures habitats to have a stable temperature
Helps to maintain a constant internal body temperature
Strong Cohesion
attraction between two water molecules so they tend to stick together because they are polar
Creates surface tension which support small organism
Supports columns of water in plants such as the transpiration stream in the xylem
Allows ice to float so it maintains aquatic life beneath it
High latent heat of vaporisation
Water evaporates when hydrogen bonds of water are broken
Useful because they can use water loss through evaporation to cool down
When water evaporates it carries heat energy away and lowers the temperature of the body
High adhesion
Water molecules are attracted to other things
allows plants to transport water through the xylem in a transpiration stream due to the attraction to the sides of the xylem
Less dense as a solid
Density decreases when it freezes because there’s an increase of hydrogen bonds between water molecules
Only surface is ice which insulates the water so aquatic animals can survive
Transparent (not on SPEC)
transmission of sunlight allows aquatic plants to photosynthesise
