The biochemical importance of water
BIOCHEMICAL IMPORTANCE OF WATER
Of all the simple chemicals that are found in abundance on Earth, only water is liquid under normal pressure and temperature. When life first appeared on planet Earth, water has played an important role in creating the first organic compounds. The organic compounds later, formed the first prokaryotic organisms. Life began, as the modern theories support, in water and developed for three billion years in it before spreading on land. It is no coincidence that the tropical forests with a lot of rain are full of life, than the desert areas where water is scarce and there are only few organisms. More than two-thirds of most organisms’ body consists of water, while the growth and reproduction of them is in a wet environment. This essay therefore is aimed at discussing about the properties of water, its structure and how is important to the organisms and generally in earth.
Figure 1: The structure of water
In water molecule, the electrons of covalent bonds tend to move closer to oxygen than hydrogen. As a result, hydrogens have a positive electric charge and oxygen a negative electric charge. Therefore, the water molecule is identified as a dipole, which means a molecule with two ends that are opposite electrical charged. The polarity of water determines its physiochemical behavior, hence the chemistry of life. The dipole behavior of water results an electrostatic attraction between the oxygen of one water molecule and the hydrogen of a neighboring water molecule. This electrostatic attraction that brings water molecules close to each other is called hydrogen bonding. Each water molecule can form four hydrogen bonds with three or four other water molecules.
Consequently, the covalent bonds in water molecules often break automatically. When this happens, hydrogen leaves the electron in the rest of the water molecule and conduct as a positively charged ion. The water molecule that retained the electrons of the covalent bond is
Of all the simple chemicals that are found in abundance on Earth, only water is liquid under normal pressure and temperature. When life first appeared on planet Earth, water has played an important role in creating the first organic compounds. The organic compounds later, formed the first prokaryotic organisms. Life began, as the modern theories support, in water and developed for three billion years in it before spreading on land. It is no coincidence that the tropical forests with a lot of rain are full of life, than the desert areas where water is scarce and there are only few organisms. More than two-thirds of most organisms’ body consists of water, while the growth and reproduction of them is in a wet environment. This essay therefore is aimed at discussing about the properties of water, its structure and how is important to the organisms and generally in earth.
Figure 1: The structure of water
In water molecule, the electrons of covalent bonds tend to move closer to oxygen than hydrogen. As a result, hydrogens have a positive electric charge and oxygen a negative electric charge. Therefore, the water molecule is identified as a dipole, which means a molecule with two ends that are opposite electrical charged. The polarity of water determines its physiochemical behavior, hence the chemistry of life. The dipole behavior of water results an electrostatic attraction between the oxygen of one water molecule and the hydrogen of a neighboring water molecule. This electrostatic attraction that brings water molecules close to each other is called hydrogen bonding. Each water molecule can form four hydrogen bonds with three or four other water molecules.
Consequently, the covalent bonds in water molecules often break automatically. When this happens, hydrogen leaves the electron in the rest of the water molecule and conduct as a positively charged ion. The water molecule that retained the electrons of the covalent bond is
References: (1) Campbell, N.A., Reece, J.B. et al. Biology. 8th edition. Pearson International Edition (2) http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/surten.html http://www.uni.edu/~iowawet/H2OProperties.html#ad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Properties_of_water Figure 1: http://www.biology.arizona.edu/biochemistry/tutorials/chemistry/graphics/water.gif Figure 2: http://www.s-cool.co.uk/assets/learn_its/alevel/biology/biological-molecules-and-enzymes/water/pic2.jpg Figure 3: http://www.bio.miami.edu/~cmallery/150/chemistry/ice.jpg Figure 4: http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/115722main_k_evaporation.gif Figure 5: http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/jpitocch/genbio/h20solvent.JPG