Learning Guide: Water and Biomolecules Part I
Bill Activity #17
To Think About: What properties of the water molecule supports all of life?
1st Read About: Water and Life
Pgs. 46-52 Campbell’s Biology 9th edition
 Polar covalent bonds in water molecules result in hydrogen bonding
o Describe what a polar molecule is and why water is considered polar.
o Sketch several water molecules. Add + and – signs to indicate the charged regions of each
molecule. Then, indicate the hydrogen bonds.
o Explain hydrogen bonding.
 Four emergent properties of water contribute to Earth’s suitability for life.
o Create a t-chart that illustrates the difference between cohesion and adhesion of water
molecules. Explain why each of these properties is significant to living things.
o Water has high specific heat. Describe what this means and how hydrogen bonding
contributes to water’s high specific heat.
o Summarize how water’s high specific heat contributes to the moderation of temperature.
Explain how this property is important to life.
o Define evaporation and heat of vaporization. Explain at least three effects of this property
on living organisms.
o Expansion upon freezing. Describe why this property of water is important. Explain why ice
floats and why 4 degrees C is a critical temperature.
o Solvent of life. Explain why water is a fine solvent. Define hydrophobic and hydrophilic .
2nd Interact: Watch Mr. Andersen’s Water: A Polar Molecule video and take notes on it.
Supplementary Resources: Click the links below for more information to help you learn more about this
lesson.
 Austin Community College: Dissociation of Water
 US Geological Service: Properties of Water
 Crash Course Biology: Water—Liquid Awesome
Learning Guide: Water and Biomolecules Part II
Bill Activity #17
To Think About: How do molecules and atoms from the environment build new molecules?
1st Read About: Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life
Pgs. 58-66 Campbell’s Biology 9th edition (2-sided column notes)
 Organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds
o Explain the definition of organic chemistry and list the primary elements of living things
o Describe how Stanley Miller bring the abiotic synthesis of organic compounds into the
context of evolution.
 Carbon atoms can form diverse molecules by bonding to four other atoms.
o Make an electron distribution diagram of carbon. List the number of valence electrons,
number of bonds and types of bonds it makes with other elements.
o Describe how carbon skeletons may vary (four ways), and explain how this variation
contributes to the diversity and complexity of organic molecules.
 A small number of chemical groups are key to the functioning of biological molecules
o Describe how two molecules can be very similar in structure but have very different
functions.
o Define a functional group. List the functional groups. For each write the formula and
sketch their structure (in top purple boxes)
2nd Read About: The Structure and Function of Large Biomolecules
Pgs. 68-69 Campbell’s Biology 9th edition (2-sided column notes)
 Macromolecules are polymers, built from monomers
o List the four main classes of important large molecules. Define macromolecule and circle
the three classes.
o Distinguish between a polymer and a monomer; condensation/dehydration reaction and
hydrolysis
3rd Interact: Watch Mr. Andersen’s Polymers video and take notes on it.
 Explain how the letters of the alphabet are similar to monomers of a polymer.
 Explain the phrase “you are what you eat” in the context of dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis.