Title: Activity ahead of lesson: Water
Course: Biochemistry > Section: Week 5 - Unit 2. Molecular Composition of Cell

Purpose

Water is one of the more abundant molecules and the one most critical to life on Earth. Approximately 60–70 % of our organisms is made up of water. Without it, life as we know it simply would not exist.

In this topic we look at the special chemistry of the water molecule. Water’s chemistry gives it the properties that make water so important – both to living things and to shaping earth’s natural environments. To understand the unique chemistry of water, we will first investigate types of covalent bonds. Activities in this unit are designed to compare the physical properties of polar, slightly polar, and nonpolar liquids.

Over to you

Read following links for the book Molecular Biology of the Cell by Albert B. (4^th).

Be certain to note anything that you don’t understand

Activity

Answer these questions:

1. Explain why water is considered a polar molecule.
2. Explain how water is a solvent.
3. What helps water molecules absorb heat without causing a great change in temperature?

Bring your answers in class for discussion.