What characteristic of water accounts for its unique properties as a s...
Polard
The characteristic of water that accounts for its unique properties as a solvent is its polarity. Water is a polar molecule, meaning it has a partial positive charge on one end (hydrogen) and a partial negative charge on the other end (oxygen). This polarity allows water to interact with other polar molecules and ions, making it an excellent solvent.
Key Points:
- Water's polarity enables it to form hydrogen bonds with other polar molecules and ions, allowing it to dissolve a wide variety of substances.
- The positive and negative ends of water molecules attract and surround solute particles, breaking them apart and dispersing them throughout the solvent.
- This property of water as a solvent is essential for various biological processes, as many important molecules in living organisms are polar and require a solvent like water for their interactions.
- The polarity of water also contributes to its high surface tension, cohesion, and adhesion properties, which are crucial for maintaining life and supporting various ecosystems.
What characteristic of water accounts for its unique properties as a s...
Water is a universal solvent. It has the ability to dissolve the greatest number of substances than any other solvent. The highly polar nature accounts for this special feature as the water molecule bears a slightly positively charged hydrogen ion and two highly negatively charged oxygen ions. Since, it becomes attracted to many different types of molecules it is known as the ‘universal solvent’.