Chapter 2: ActivitiesActivity 2.2 Water and Ice |
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Water is the solvent for living organisms. Water is a polar molecule and readily forms hydrogen bonds with other water molecules, causing water to "stick together." Water has a high specific heat—the large number of hydrogen bonds between water molecules means water can absorb a great deal of heat energy before changing its phase (from ice to liquid water, for example). Unlike other substances, liquid water is denser than solid water, permitting ice to float. This important property allowed oceans to form and chemical evolution to occur, generating life as we know it today.
Water Is Polar
Chapter 2, Section 2.3, Chemical Reactions, Chemical Energy, and Chemical Evolution |