Chemistry of water.
Water is an inorganic molecule that is
the most important compound in the body.
In fact, a normal adult’s body weight
is made up of 50% or more of water.
A molecule of water has one oxygen atom
covalently bonded to 2 hydrogen atoms.
Covalent bonds being chemical
bonds that are formed
by the sharing of one or
more pairs of electrons
by the outer energy levels
or shells of two atoms.
Water molecules are also polar molecules,
even though the oxygen atom shares
electrons with the hydrogen
atoms, the electrons are not shared
equally within the molecule.
This gives the oxygen side of the
molecule two partial negative
charges, and each of the hydrogen’s
a slightly positive charge.
This means that each water
molecule can form up to
4 hydrogen bonds with
adjacent water molecules.
Hydrogen bonds are the result of
an unequal charge distribution
on a molecule, these molecules
are said to be polar.
This property allows water to act
as a very effective solvent, which
means it is able to dissolve or
break apart many other substances.
Substances that do dissolve
or break apart in water
are called hydrophilic,
which means water loving.
Non polar substances
that do not dissolve in
water are called hydrophobic,
or water fearing.
Some substances such as glucose molecules
dissolve and remain intact in water,
as water molecules
surround the substance
forming a hydration shell
around the molecule.
Some substances dissolve and
dissociate or break apart in water.
Table salt or NaCl, when added
to water will dissociate to
form positive sodium Na ions
and negative chlorine Cl ions,
with hydration shells
forming around each ion.
This property of water allows it
to function as a transporter,
as water based fluids
such as blood transport
substances dissolved in
water throughout the body.
Non polar hydrophobic
substances such as fats
and cholesterol that
do not bond with water
must be enclosed within a transport protein
molecule to be transported within blood.
And that, be the basics on
the chemistry of water.
