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3.5: Water Summary

  • Page ID
    134850
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    Water

    • is POLAR, allowing for the formation of hydrogen bonds,
    • is an excellent SOLVENT: because water is polar, it allows ions and other polar molecules to dissolve.
    • STABILIZES TEMPERATURE: the hydrogen bonds between water molecules give water the ability to hold heat better than many other substances. As the temperature rises, the hydrogen bonds between water continually break and reform, allowing for the overall temperature to remain stable, although increased energy is added to the system.
    • is COHESIVE: hydrogen bonds allow for the property of surface tension.

    pH, Acids, Bases, and Buffers

    • The pH of a solution is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14.
      • A solution with an equal number of hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions is neutral and has a pH of 7.
      • A solution with a high number of hydrogen ions is acidic and has a low pH value (below 7).
      • A solution with a high number of hydroxide ions is basic and has a high pH value (above 7).
    • Buffers are solutions that moderate pH changes when an acid or base is added to the buffer system. Buffers are important in biological systems because of their ability to maintain constant pH conditions.

    3.5: Water Summary is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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