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Explain how the properties of water arise from the dipolar nature of water
- Oxygen in water negatively charged and hydrogens positive
- Hydrogen bonding due to the dipolar nature
- Water molecules are cohesive our to hydrogen bonding
- Cohesion useful in xylem bonding, transpiration
- Hydrogen bonds with other structures, giving adhesive properties
- Adhesion of water to cellulose in cell walls
- High boiling point due to hydrogen bonding
- Water is liquid rather than a gas over the global temperature range
- High latent heat of vaporisation as energy needed to break hydrogen bonds
- Use of sweat for cooling the body
- High specific heat capacity as hydrogen bonds must be broken to warm water up
- Water is a thermally stable habitat
- Good solvent of polar organic molecules
Outline two properties of water that are important for living organisms
Good solvent:
- Due to polarity of water molecules, many substances dissolve in it
- Most chemical reactions of living organisms occur in solutions
Heat:
- High heat capacity
- Energy needed to break hydrogen bonds
- Important habitat as temperature more stable
Cooling:
- High latent heat
- Heat used to break hydrogen bonds so water changes to gas
- Cooling effect of transpiration
Cohesion:
- Good solvent
- Due to polarity of water molecules many different substances dissolve in it
- Most chemical reactions of living organisms occur in solution
Outline the role of condensation and hydrolysis in metabolic reactions
- Condensation is two molecules joining with the loss of a water molecule
- Two monosaccharides join to form a disaccharide, or disaccharides to polysaccharides
- Two glucose from maltose
- Hydrolysis is the addition of water to break a larger molecule into smaller ones
- Polysaccharides are broken down into disaccharides by hydrolysis
- Maltose forms two glucose