Bio Essay

Essay #1:
“Chemical bonds are essential to building the molecules of life.
a. In 3 paragraphs, describe the following bond types and how they are significant to life on earth: ionic, covalent (polar and non-polar), hydrogen, and
Van der Wahls (interactions).
b. How is energy transferred between these bonds and what role does oxygen play in the formation and breaking of bonds?”

In the world of chemistry, we as humans have the ability to discover the physical sciences that concern the composition, properties, and reactions of substances that surround us daily. According to studies, in order to produce the molecules of life on earth, chemical bonds are vital; ionic, covalent (polar and non-polar), hydrogen, and Van der Wahls interactions are the most significant bond types in relevance to human life.
The ionic and covalent bonds are known to be the strongest chemical bonds. An ionic bond forms when two atoms differ so much in electronegativity that one or more electrons are actually transferred from one atom to the other. Ionic bonds generally occur between a metal and a nonmetal. Due to the existence of ionic bonds, elements that normally would not combine because sharing electrons is either not possible or not practical may be combined to form chemical compounds. A covalent bond forms when two atoms share a pair of electrons. The sharing of one pair of electrons produces a single bond whist the sharing of two or three pairs of electrons produces double or triple bonds. If both atoms are equally electronegative, a nonpolar covalent bond forms. Hydrogen and oxygen are both diatomic elements that form nonpolar covalent bonds. If one atom is slightly more electronegative, a polar covalent bond formulates. Water (H2O) is a polar covalent bond. Covalent bonds allow the greatest possible combinations of chemical compounds to take place. Hydrogen bonds, another form of dipole force, formulates when the partially positive hydrogen atom of a polar covalent bond in one molecule is attracted to the partially negative atom of a polar covalent bond in another molecule. This type of bonding usually occurs between molecules in which hydrogen atom is bonded to an atom of nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine. Hydrogen bonds allowed the transfer of electrons which in turn gave rise to simple metabolism which in turn developed into the vast diversity of life there is today. Van der Wahls forces are molecules that are held together in a group by electrical forces; these forces are usually weaker than those that hold a molecule itself together. Van der Wahls forces are the primary intermolecular attractive forces that react between nonpolar molecules making them a necessary factor of life.
Energy plays one of the biggest roles in the equation of chemical reactions. Without the energy, there would never be a product. In order for the chemical bonds to form, the energy must be transferred between each of the bonds. Mainly, the reason for chemical formulation is to lower the potential energy of the system. Potential energy (PE) arises from the interaction of positive and negative charges. Chemical bonding leads to a lowering of the PE and formation of more stable chemical types. Oxygen also plays a pronounced role in the bonding of chemicals. An original oxygen molecule starts off with six electrons in its valence electron shell. Due to the two lone pairs of electrons on the oxygen molecule, the oxygen acts as a magnet to form and break bonds in molecules.