Ogan Gurel, MD

Biology 301
Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

Biology 301
Cellular and Molecular Biology
Fall 2002

Lecture # 2: Water & pH

 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

Overall outline
 Structure of Water

 Properties of Water

 Acid-base chemistry in aqueous solutions

 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

Structure of Water
 Water is a polar molecule

 Hydrogen bonds between water molecules

 Phases transitions are determined by intermolecular

forces

 Molecular view of ice, water, and steam

 The structure of ice

 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Water is a polar molecule

Roosevelt University
 Ogan Gurel, MD

Hydrogen bonds between water Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

molecules
 Ogan Gurel, MD

Phases transitions are determined

Biology 301
Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

by intermolecular forces
 Ogan Gurel, MD

Molecular view of ice, water, Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

and steam

Ice Water Steam

 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

The structure of ice

Roosevelt University
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

Properties of Water
 Cohesion, adhesion & surface tension
 Cohesive behavior leads to capillarity
 Some thermodynamic concepts
 Water’s high heat capacity moderates temperature
changes
 The high heat of vaporization cools surfaces upon
evaporation
 Water expands when frozen: Ice floats and frozen
benzene sinks
 … this has profound implications for the global climate
 Some definitions in solution chemistry
 The mole concept
 Dissolution of salt in water
 A water-soluble protein
 Ogan Gurel, MD

Cohesion, adhesion & Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

surface tension

Cohesion = phenomenon of a substance being held

together by noncovalent bonds

Adhesion = phenomenon of a substance being

attracted to a vessel wall. (e.g. water in glass
containers results in a “meniscus”)

Surface tension = measure of how difficult it is to

stretch or break the surface of a liquid
 Water has a greater surface tension than most liquids
 Ogan Gurel, MD

Cohesive behavior leads to Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

capillarity
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Some thermodynamic concepts

Roosevelt University

Kinetic energy Energy of motion

Heat Total kinetic energy due to molecular motion in a body of matter

Temperature Measure of heat intensity due to the average kinetic energy of

molecules in a body of matter

Calorie Amount of heat it takes to raise the temperature of one gram of

water by one degree Celsius. Conversely, one calorie is the
amount of heat released by one gram of water when it cools down
by one degree Celsius. Note: The “calories” on food packages are
actually kilocalories (kcal).

Kilocalorie The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one

kilogram of water by one degree Celsius (1000 cal)

Specific heat Amount of heat that must be absorbed or lost for one gram of a
substance to change its temperature by one degree Celsius

Specific heat One calorie per gram per degree Celsius (1 cal / g / °C)
of water
 Ogan Gurel, MD

Water’s high heat capacity Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

moderates temperature changes

 Ogan Gurel, MD

The high heat of vaporization cools Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

surfaces upon evaporation

Vaporization Also called evaporation = transformation of a liquid to a gas

Heat of Quantity of heat a liquid must absorb for one gram to be

vaporization converted to the gaseous state. Water has a relatively high heat
of vaporization at the boiling point (540 cal/g).

Evaporative Cooling of a liquid’s surface when a liquid evaporates.

cooling

… Stabilizes temperature in aquatic ecosystems

… Helps organisms from overheating by evaporative

cooling
 Ogan Gurel, MD

Water expands when frozen: Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

Ice floats and frozen benzene sinks

 Ogan Gurel, MD

… this has profound implications Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

for the global climate

… and is the reason behind the sinking of the Titanic

 Ogan Gurel, MD

Some definitions in solution Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

chemistry

Solution A liquid that is a completely homogenous mixture of two or more

substances

Solvent Dissolving agent of a solution

Solute Substance dissolved in a solution

Aqueous Solution in which water is the solvent

solution

Hydrophilic Ionic compounds and polar compounds are, in general, water

soluble

Hydrophobic Nonpolar compounds are NOT water-soluble.

 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

The mole concept

Roosevelt University

Molecular Sum of the weight of all atoms in a molecule (expressed in

weight Daltons)

Mole Amount of a substance that has a mass in grams numerically

equivalent to its molecular weight in daltons

Molarity Number of moles of solute per liter of solution

A mole of various substances

Advantage of using moles:

2. Rescales weighing from daltons
to grams
3. A mole of any substances has a
fixed number of molecules
(e.g. Avogadro’s number)
4. Allows one to combine substances
in fixed ratios of molecules
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Dissolution of salt in water

Roosevelt University
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

A water-soluble protein
Roosevelt University
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

Acid-base chemistry in aqueous

solutions
 Dissociation of water
 Definitions of acids & bases
 Definition of pH: a logarithmic scale of [H+]
concentration
 pH of some aqueous solutions
 Conjugate acids & bases
 Strong acids & bases
 Weak acids & bases
 Buffers attenuate changes in pH
 Indicators
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Dissociation of water
Roosevelt University

 The reaction is reversible

 At equilibrium, most of the water is not ionized
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Definitions of acids & bases

Roosevelt University

 Acids donate protons

H+ and Bases accept
protons H+.
 Ogan Gurel, MD

Definition of pH: a logarithmic Biology 301

Lecture #2
Roosevelt University

scale of [H+] concentration

 For very small

numbers we use
logarithms for
convenience. Typical
[H+] concentrations
range from 10-14 to 10-1
molar which is simplified
by converting this to a
pH range of 14 to 1.

The pH of the blood  is ~ 7.4 which is close to neutral but slightly on the basic side.  Changes
in the blood pH of a few tenths on either side of this value can be fatal.  Does this make sense
mathematically?  On a moment­by­moment basis, how is the blood pH so tightly regulated?
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

pH of some aqueous solutions

Roosevelt University

Because pH is a logarithmic measure,

apparently “small” numerical changes
in pH actually correspond to
very “large” changes in hydrogen
ion concentration.

Normal physiological pH is 7.41.

Depending on the circumstances a
pH below 7.00 or above 7.8 can be
Lethal.
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Congugate acids & bases

Roosevelt University

 Strong acids
have weak
conjugate bases
and vice versa.

Why is it not possible to look at the

acid alone and say that it is a good acid?
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Strong acids & bases

Roosevelt University

 Strong acids (and

bases) dissociate
(associate) almost
completely. A full
equilibrium analysis is
usually not necessary
since you can assume
that the initial acid (or
base) is converted
completely to products.
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Weak acids & bases

Roosevelt University

 Weak acids (and

bases) dissociate
(associate) only partially
... so a full equilibrium
analysis necessary.
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Buffers attenuate changes in pH

Roosevelt University

 Buffers minimize changes in pH  The maximum buffering capacity

because protons can be taken up occurs when the pH equals the pKa
or given up by the buffer (when [A-] = [HA]).
 Ogan Gurel, MD
Biology 301
Lecture #2

Acid-base indicators
Roosevelt University

 A weak acid (or base)

coupled to a conjugated
system. Titration of the
proton leads to changes
in the visual absorption
spectrum (hence color
changes) in the
conjugated system.