3.1: Water and Organic Molecules
The important molecules of life include water, salts, acids, bases, and organic compounds. Water is the solvent of life. Living organisms survive because of chemical reactions that occur in the presence of water. Molecules that are dissolved by water (salts, acids, and bases) are hydrophilic, while organic molecules that are nonpolar and unable to form hydrogen bonds with water are hydrophobic. Each type of substance has an important role in the chemical reactions of life. Water is one of the most important compounds on earth – no living organism can survive without it.
Read this chapter to learn about the four unique properties of water. After you read, you should be able to explain why water is an excellent solvent, describe water molecules that are polar and capable of hydrogen bonding with four neighboring water molecules, and distinguish between a solute, solvent, and solution.
Watch this lecture, which reviews the special chemical properties of the water molecule.