The Importance Water as a molecule

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The Importance Water as a molecule

Polar Structure

Water has the chemical formula H2O and each water molecule consists of an oxygen atom covalently bonded to two hydrogen atoms at an angle of 104. The oxygen atom has a nucleus containing eight positively charged protons, 8 neutrons and 8 negatively charged electrons. (diagram)

The oxygen atom has an overall partial negative charge while the hydrogen atoms have slight positive charges, this is because the electrons are associated with the oxygen nucleus than the hydrogen nuclei and these electrons form a region of negative electric charge, making the whole molecule electrically polarized. It creates partially negative and partially positive charges on the ends of a water molecule. This uneven charge distribution results in the molecule as being described polar and they accounts for the strong bonding between molecules and for the unusual properties of water, e.g. expansion as it freezes. Because water molecules are polar (electronegative atom), they have an attraction for each other and form hydrogen bonds (stronger than dipolar force between h and o, but not as strong as covalent bond) with neighboring molecules  

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(diagram)

Capillary action, cohesive/ adhesive properties

The effects of very large numbers of hydrogen bonds are responsible for many of the properties of water. Water molecules tend to cling to each other and to other polar molecules. Attraction between water molecules is referred to as cohesion; attraction between water molecules and other polar molecules is referred to as adhesion. Water also occurs as moisture in the upper portion of the soil profile, in which it is held by capillary action to the particles of soil. The cohesive property in water molecules is very important in transporting materials in ...

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