Water

Water has structural and chemical properties which make it highly useful to living cells. Water is an abundant and important inorganic compound, vital to living organisms. All living organisms require it, among a wide variety of other inorganic compounds for growth, repair, maintenance, and reproduction. No organism can survive without water. Water can make up anywhere from 5-95% of cells, averaging 65-75% of most cells. Water facilitates penetration of nutrients through cell membranes and inside the cell it is the medium for most chemical reactions.

Water's Polarity

Water is a polar molecule, it has a negative and positive charge.

Water, or H20, has an unequal distribution of charges making it easy for its molecules to form bonds. It is an excellent temperature shield due to its hydrogen bond between water molecules.

Molecular Structure of Water with water molecules oriented in network structure

Hydrogen bonding between water molecules makes water an excellent temperature shield for organisms.

Hydrogen bonding between water molecules makes water an excellent temperature shield for organisms.
Water Shield

Many polar molecules separate in water making water an excellent dissolving medium or solvent.

Water Ionization Key used to explain graphic
Water Ionization Key used to explain graphic
Water Ionizating Sodium Chloride
Water Ionization of Sodium Chloride separation of atoms
Water Ionization of Sodium Chloride separation of atoms

Water as a Reactant

Water is required for catabolism

Water is necessary in the breaking down of larger molecules into smaller ones. The reaction is called Hydrolysis.

Catabolism
Water breaks bonds
Water-Breaks-down

Water Networks

Water molecules arrange differently based on many factors such as pH, elemental composition, and pressure.

Network Structure
Molecular Structure of Water Network
Molecular Structure of Water Network
Types of Network Structure Arrangements
Molecular Structure of Water Network
Molecular Structure of Water, methanol-water methylamine water ester group water peptide group water
Contents