2.2 Water

2.
2 Water
Topic 2: Molecular Biology

Understandings:
● Outline that water molecules are polar and

that hydrogen bonds form between them.
● Describe how substances can be
hydrophilic or hydrophobic.
● List examples of hydrophilic and
2.2 Essential ●
hydrophobic substances.
Explain hydrogen bonding and dipolarity,
Idea:
and the link with the cohesive, adhesive,
thermal and solvent properties of water.
● State one example of a benefit to living
organisms of each property of water.
Water is the medium of life ● Explain the use of water as a coolant in
sweat.
● Outline the modes of transport of glucose,
amino acids, cholesterol, fats, oxygen and
sodium chloride in blood, in relation to their
solubility in water.
● Compare the thermal properties of water
with those of methane.
● Outline that water molecules
are polar and that hydrogen
bonds form between them.
● Describe how substances
can be hydrophilic or
hydrophobic.
Lesson 1 ● List examples of hydrophilic
and hydrophobic
substances.
Basic Properties of Water ● Explain hydrogen bonding
and dipolarity, and the link
Kognity 2.2.0, 2.2.1, 2.2.2 with the cohesive, adhesive,
Cambridge Pg. xx-xx thermal and solvent
properties of water.
● State one example of a
benefit to living organisms
of each property of water.
Why Water?
Water is essential for life on Earth
● Water covers 71% of Earth’s surface

● Body cells are ~65% water
● Majority of biochemical reactions
occur in liquid (water-based
solutions)
● Essential reactant in photosynthesis
and product of cellular respiration
Structure of Water
● H2O: two Hydrogen atoms, one Oxygen atom

covalently bonded (sharing electrons)
● Oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen,
so electrons have stronger pull on shared
electrons → slight negative charge on oxygen
(δ-), slight positive charge on hydrogen (δ+)
● Water is a polar molecule
● Polarity: partial charges on different parts of the
molecule
Polarity of Water
● The partial charges on water causes

attraction and repulsion at different
regions of the molecule
● Like repels like, opposites attract
● Weak hydrogen bonds form as a result
● Allows for cohesion and adhesion
○ Cohesion: water sticking to water due to
hydrogen bonds
○ Adhesion: water sticking to other polar
molecules due to hydrogen bonds
Hydrophilic & Hydrophobic
Hydrophilic: “water-loving” → other polar

molecules or charged compounds
● Ex. Sugars and salts are soluble in water
Hydrophobic: “water-hating” → non-polar or

uncharged compounds
● Ex. Fats and oils are not soluble in water

Cohesion and Adhesion
Cohesion: tendency for water to stick to water

due to hydrogen bonds
● Individual hydrogen bonds are weak → if
there are many bonds, they are
cumulatively strong
● Results in strong surface tension of water

→ acts like an elastic membrane that
allows things to float on the surface, and
to form spherical droplets
Cohesion and Adhesion
Adhesion: tendency for water to stick to other

polar molecules due to hydrogen bonds
● Ex. Glass is a polar surface water adheres to

● Results in capillary action → water (and any
dissolved substances) can climb up thin spaces
against gravity
● Allows water to travel up plant stems against
gravity
Thermal Properties of Water
High specific heat capacity: high amount of energy

(heat) required to break hydrogen bonds
● Specific heat: amount of heat required to change 1

g of a substance by 1°C
Thus water does not change temperature quickly →

allows for stability in aquatic ecosystems
Thermal Properties of Water
High latent heat of vaporization: requires a

large amount of heat to be absorbed to
change from liquid to gas
Allows water to be an effective coolant -
when water evaporates, it takes a large
amount of energy (heat) with it
● Ex. evaporation of sweat cools down
surface of the skin
● Also relates to water’s fairly high boiling
point
Water as a Solvent
● “Universal solvent”
● Can dissolve ionic compounds and polar
compounds like glucose
● All reactions in cells occur in dissolved form
in liquid
● Dissolved substances carried in blood
plasma (glucose, amino acids, sodium
chloride)
● Some substances are insoluble in water, but
can be dissolved in fat (fat soluble
substances)
Practice:
Kognity: 2.2 Water Lesson 1 Review
Questions
Read: 2.2.3, 2.2.4 on Kognity
Please complete for next class

● Outline the modes of
transport of glucose, amino
Lesson 2 acids, cholesterol, fats,
oxygen and sodium chloride
Modes of Transport and Thermal in blood, in relation to their
Properties solubility in water.
Kognity 2.2.3, 2.2.4 ● Compare the thermal
Cambridge Pg. xx-xx properties of water with
those of methane.
*You should know at least one example of a
Biological Benefits of Water benefit to living organisms of each property

of water*
Properties of Benefit to living organisms

Water
Cohesive ● Allows water to be pulled up from the roots to the leaves of plants.
properties
● Permits insects, such as pond skaters, to walk/float on the surface of water to
catch their prey.
Adhesive ● Capillary action generated by adhesive forces assists the pumping action of
properties the heart to help blood move through blood vessels.
● Adhesion of water molecules to the cell wall of xylem vessels helps water move
against gravity from the roots to the leaves.
*You should know at least one example of a
Biological Benefits of Water benefit to living organisms of each property

of water*
Properties of Benefit to living organisms

Water
Thermal ● Evaporation of sweat from body surfaces involves heat loss, which brings
properties about a cooling effect.
● The high specific heat capacity of water makes aquatic ecosystems more
stable than terrestrial.
Solvent ● Water dissolves mineral ions in the soil and transports it along xylem vessels
properties from the roots to all parts of the plant.
● Water in blood plasma dissolves a range of solutes and gases, which makes it
possible for blood to transport nutrients and gases around the body
● Water’s versatility (its ability to exist as a liquid, solid and vapour) makes
water a universal solvent and medium for numerous biochemical reactions.
Transport of Biological Molecules
● Transport of biological molecules around the body to and the various

tissues is essential for multicellular organisms
● All cells require oxygen, glucose, and minerals
● All cells produce waste products to be excreted/removed
● Most transportation occurs through blood: water-soluble molecules
dissolve in blood plasma
● Water-insoluble substances transported via lymph vessels after
absorption during digestion
Exam-Style Question! [4 marks]
Plants have developed efficient

methods for transport and for
synthesis of foods.
Outline how the properties of water

make it an ideal transport medium in
plants.
Mark Scheme [4 marks]
a. polarity of water;
b. hydrogen bonds between water molecules;
c. cohesion between water molecules/water molecules stick together;
d. cohesion allows tensions/low pressures/transpiration pull/movement upward/against
gravity;
e. adhesion to cellulose/cell walls generates tensions/pull (in xylem) OR adhesion to
xylem walls/vessel walls causes capillary rise/upward movement;
f. solvent for many substances / many substances dissolve;
g. liquid at most temperatures experienced by plants / liquid so can flow
Biological Molecules in the Blood
Glucose
● Polar → hydrophilic and water soluble

● Blood glucose must be carefully
maintained because of its effect on
osmosis
Question: what would happen if blood

glucose was very hypertonic to the glucose
in red blood cells?
Amino Acids
● Are both positively and negatively

charged
● Most are water soluble, depends on
the size of the R group
● Hydrophilic R group → easily
dissolved and transported in the
blood
● Hydrophobic R group → not easily
dissolved, transported in lower
concentrations
Fats & Cholesterol
● Non-polar → normally insoluble in

water
● Transported in lipoproteins
● Lipoprotein = single layer of
phospholipids w/ embedded
proteins surrounding the fats and
cholesterol
Oxygen
● Non-polar BUT because they

are so small, can dissolve to a
limited extent
● Oxygen binds to hemoglobin to

form oxyhemoglobin and is
carried by the red blood cells
Sodium Chloride (& Other Ions)
● Ionic compounds separate into

their component ions and dissolve
easily in the blood to be
transported
● NaCl → Na+ + Cl-
● Positive ions move towards
negative dipole of oxygen,
negative ions move towards
positive dipole of hydrogen
Water vs. Methane
Water Both Methane
● H2O ● Both are ● CH4

● Polar covalent ● Non-polar
● Can form hydrogen bonds compounds ● Cannot form hydrogen bonds
● Possesses cohesive, adhesive, ● Waste product from
● Similar size and
thermal, and solvent properties anaerobic bacteria
molecular mass ● Greenhouse gas
Thermal Properties of Water and Methane
Specific heat capacity:
● Water: 4.2 J/g/°C

● Methane: 2.2 J/g/°C Main Idea: Water can absorb
more energy before increasing in
Latent heat of vaporisation: temperature, and requires more
● Water: 2257 J/g energy to vaporise because of its
● Methane: 760 J/g ability to make hydrogen bonds
Exam Style Question [2 marks]
Distinguish between the thermal properties of

methane and water.
Mark Scheme [2 marks]
● water has higher boiling/melting point;

● water has a higher specific heat capacity;
● water has a higher latent heat of vaporization;
● differences due to water having many H-bonds/polarity between the
molecules while methane has no H-bonds/polarity;
Practice:
Kognity: 2.2 Water Lesson 2 Review
Questions
Read: Kognity 2.3.0, 2.3.1, 2.3.2
Please complete for next class

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2.

Topic 2: Molecular Biology

● Outline that water molecules are polar and

Water is essential for life on Earth

● Water covers 71% of Earth’s surface

● H2O: two Hydrogen atoms, one Oxygen atom

● The partial charges on water causes

Hydrophilic: “water-loving” → other polar

● Ex. Sugars and salts are soluble in water

Hydrophobic: “water-hating” → non-polar or

● Ex. Fats and oils are not soluble in water

Cohesion: tendency for water to stick to water

● Results in strong surface tension of water

Adhesion: tendency for water to stick to other

● Ex. Glass is a polar surface water adheres to

High speciﬁc heat capacity: high amount of energy

● Speciﬁc heat: amount of heat required to change 1

Thus water does not change temperature quickly →

High latent heat of vaporization: requires a

Read: 2.2.3, 2.2.4 on Kognity

Please complete for next class

Biological Beneﬁts of Water beneﬁt to living organisms of each property

Properties of Beneﬁt to living organisms

Biological Beneﬁts of Water beneﬁt to living organisms of each property

Properties of Beneﬁt to living organisms

● Transport of biological molecules around the body to and the various

Plants have developed efficient

Outline how the properties of water

● Polar → hydrophilic and water soluble

Question: what would happen if blood

● Are both positively and negatively

● Non-polar → normally insoluble in

● Non-polar BUT because they

● Oxygen binds to hemoglobin to

● Ionic compounds separate into

● H2O ● Both are ● CH4

Speciﬁc heat capacity:

● Water: 4.2 J/g/°C

Distinguish between the thermal properties of

● water has higher boiling/melting point;

Read: Kognity 2.3.0, 2.3.1, 2.3.2

Please complete for next class

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