I’ve often heard people say “the polarity of H2O is the very essence of life itself”, things like that. While I understand why water is polar, why is it so important in life? Doesn’t it just create hydrogen bonds with other molecules and react with them?
Thanks!!!
In: Chemistry
Actually, lot of properties of water make it essential for life. Hydrogen bonds are part of what allows liquid water to be so dense, as water is actually the simplest, non-ionic hydrogen bonding molecule. This is part of what allows ice to be less dense than liquid water. If this weren’t the case, life could not exist in freezing climates. Water, mainly due to its polarity, is also an incredible solvent for pretty much anything other than organic material. Saltwater, the origin of life, would not exist without water’s polarity. There are also a lot of biological reasons water is so pivotal, due to its use as an electron transport carrier in photosynthesis. All of our atmospheric oxygen came from water.
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