LAB: Properties of Water

OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this lab, you will:

• Explain that organisms must exchange matter with the environment to grow,
reproduce and maintain organization.
• Describe how water contributes to the fitness of the environment to support
life.
• Describe the structure and geometry of a water molecule, and explain what
properties emerge as a result of this structure.
• Explain the relationship between the polar nature of water and its ability to
form hydrogen bonds.
• List four characteristics of water that are emergent properties resulting from
hydrogen bonding.
• Describe the biological significance of the cohesiveness of water.
• Explain how water molecules dissociate and re-form, and the significance of
this dissociation and re-formation to the pH scale.

There is no doubt that water is vital to living organisms. Besides being the most plentiful chemical compound on the
Earth’s surface, water makes up roughly 50-95% of the composition of living cells, depending on their function and
nutrient content. As a chemical compound, water possesses some unique physical and chemical properties that make it
an ideal compound for life. In this lab activity, you will explore a few of water’s properties by performing some short
experiments that illustrate water’s importance to life.

MATERIALS:
Water Ethanol Glass microscope slide Piece of wax paper
Salt Sponge piece Dixie cups Fan
Beral pipets Granulated sugar Test tubes Balloon
Mineral oil Paper towels 400 mL beaker Penny
Molecular models of water pH paper Soapy water solution
Various solutions with differing pH levels

SAFETY: Alcohol is flammable and toxic. Keep away from sources of heat. Do not ingest! Also, dispose of alcohol as
your teacher directs.

WATER FORMS HYDROGEN BONDS

These weak bonds that collectively are very strong make possible most of water’s unique
properties, such as cohesive and adhesive properties, high specific heat, high heat of
vaporization and polarity. Hydrogen bonds are what are known as intermolecular forces—
attractive forces that act between particles that are next to one another. Specifically,
hydrogen bonds are weak bonds that form between hydrogen atoms of one molecule and
the lone pair(s) of neighboring electronegative atoms. This hydrogen bonding allows for
water molecules to be both adhesive (sticking to other surfaces) and cohesive (sticking to
From
http://course1.winona.edu/sberg/ILLU each other). Both the adhesive and cohesive properties of water are critical to living
ST/H-bond2.gif organisms, as water is able to reach the tops of the tallest trees due to adhesion and
cohesion. When water adheres to the xylem tissues of plants and “crawls” to the tops of
these plants, this is known as capillary action. Capillary action also occurs in non-living
objects, such as drinking straws and graduated cylinders.

Properties of Water Lab 2012

Modified from a lab by David Knuffke, Deer Park HS
Page 1 of 8
Activity 1A: Water’s Molecular Structure and Hydrogen Bonding
1. Using the molecular models provided for you by Water Molecule (space-filling model)
your instructor, sketch, color, and label a space-
filling model of water in the space provided. Be
sure it is an accurate representation of the actual
model! Give a description of the shape of the
water molecule.

2. Now, using your model, demonstrate for your

instructor what hydrogen bonding of multiple
water molecules to each other looks like. Get your
instructor’s approval of your model by having
him/her stamp in the space at right.

3. When you have received approval from your

instructor as to the correctness of your model,
label the diagram shown at right. Identify the
hydrogen bonds, the covalent bonds, and the
individual atoms and charges on at least one
individual water molecule.

Activity 1B: Capillary Action, Adhesion and Cohesion

1. Cut a strip of paper towel about 2 cm wide x 15 What happens to the paper?
cm in length.
2. Tape the strip of paper towel to a pencil.
3. Fill a 400 mL beaker with about 10 mL of water.
4. Now place the pencil with the paper towel strip
over the opening of the beaker so that the end of
the paper towel strip touches the surface of the
water. Wait for 5 minutes. How could this be applicable to living things?
5. When you are done making observations, answer
the questions at right and clean your workstation.

Properties of Water Lab 2012

Modified from a lab by David Knuffke, Deer Park HS
Page 2 of 8
Activity 1B Continued
1. At this station you will see two graduated Plastic Cylinder Glass Cylinder
cylinders—one plastic and one glass. Both hold
the same quantity of liquid.
2. Fill each graduated cylinder to the same volume:
25mL.
3. Observe how the meniscus reading differs in each
cylinder. Sketch what you see at right and make
qualitative observations about the water in each
cylinder.
4. Clean up your work area.
Qualitative Observations Qualitative Observations

QUESTION: Which cylinder demonstrates greater adhesive forces between it and the water inside? Justify your answer.

WATER IS POLAR
Water has both a positive and a negative charge on its molecular structure. This is due to
the unpaired electrons of the oxygen atom hanging out in its outer valence shell. There is
a slightly positive charge on the ends where the hydrogen atoms are. This unequal
sharing of electrons causes the water molecule to be polar. This enables it to dissolve
From almost anything. Contrary to popular belief, water is not a universal solvent, as it is unable
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- to dissolve nonpolar molecules such as lipids and some proteins. This property of water
fair-
projects/project_ideas/Chem_img007.gif
is critical to the formation of cell membranes, which are composed of phospholipids and
proteins.

Activity 2A: Polarity

1. Fill one test tube with 5 ml of water from the sink. Water Ethanol
Fill a second tube with 5 mL of ethanol.
2. Using a balance, mass out 0.5 grams of salt and Salt Sugar Salt Sugar
place this into the test tube of water and swirl it
around. Record your results in the data table at
right.
3. Repeat step 2, except place the salt into the test
tube containing ethanol.
4. Repeat this experiment with 0.5 grams of sugar.
Record your results in the data table at right.
5. Clean up your work area.
Properties of Water Lab 2012
Modified from a lab by David Knuffke, Deer Park HS
Page 3 of 8
QUESTION: In what liquids do the salt and sugar dissolve, and why? Justify your answer.

Activity 2B: Polarity

1. Using the Beral pipet, form a small puddle (about Behavior of water Behavior of water
the size of a dime) on a piece of wax paper. on wax paper on glass slide
2. Place the tip of the pipet in the center of the
puddle and slowly drag the tip of the dropper
around the wax paper.
3. Repeat this procedure for the glass microscope
slide and make note of your observations in the
table at right.
4. Clean up your work area.

QUESTION: Explain the behavior of the water as it is dragged across the wax paper and across the glass slide. Which
surface does the water cling to? Which surface is the water repelled by?

QUESTION: Objects that are attracted to water are said Hydrophilic Hydrophobic
to be hydrophilic (“water loving”), while objects that are
repelled by water are said to be hydrophobic (“water
hating”). Identify the hydrophilic and hydrophobic
surfaces in this activity.

Activity 2C: Polarity

1. Obtain 2 sauce cups. Place 2mL of water in one of Behavior of oil droplet Behavior of oil droplet
the cups. In the other cup, place 2 mL of alcohol. in water in alcohol
2. Use the Beral pipet provided to put a small drop of
mineral oil in each cup. Stir the mixture with a
toothpick and observe what happens to the drop.
Record your observations in the data table at right.
3. Dispose of your cups and liquids as your teacher
directs.

QUESTION: In what liquids does the oil dissolve, and why? Justify your answer.

Properties of Water Lab 2012

Modified from a lab by David Knuffke, Deer Park HS
Page 4 of 8
Activity 2D: Polarity
1. Inflate a balloon. Gently rub the balloon against Sketch of balloon and water stream from faucet:
your clothing.
2. Using the faucet at a sink (be sure to remove the
hose first!), turn on the water so that a slowly
running stream of water exits the faucet.
3. Bring the balloon close to the stream of water but
do not allow the balloon to touch the water.
4. Sketch what you see occurring in the space at
right and write a description of what you see
happening.

QUESTION: How does water’s polarity explain why the water behaves as it does in this activity?

WATER HAS A HIGH SURFACE TENSION

Because of the hydrogen bonds that hold water molecules to each other, this creates
a ‘net’ of water molecules that allows some organisms to walk on water, such as water
striders. The surface tension of water is also what allows water to bead up on waxy
surfaces of leaves and organisms with waterproof coatings. In order to clean clothes
or wash dirty dishes/hands, surface tension must be reduced so water can spread and
wet surfaces. Chemicals that are able to do this effectively are called surface-active
agents, or surfactants. They are said to make water "wetter." Surfactants perform
From
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dew_2.jpg other important functions in cleaning, such as loosening, emulsifying (dispersing in
water) and holding soil in suspension until it can be rinsed away. Surfactants can also
provide alkalinity, which is useful in removing acidic soils.

Activity 3A: Surface Tension

1. At this station, there are two pennies and two Trial Water Droplets Soapy Water Droplets
beakers of water: one with soap and one on Penny on Penny
without. 1
2. See how many drops of each solution you can 2
fit on the head of each coin. Repeat each of
3
these 3 times and record your data in the table
at right. Average

QUESTION: Which coin held more water droplets, and why? How does adding soap affect the number of drops of
liquid you can add to the penny in this experiment?

Properties of Water Lab 2012

Modified from a lab by David Knuffke, Deer Park HS
Page 5 of 8
Activity 3B: Surface Tension
1. At this station, there are two pennies and two Trial Water Droplets Alcohol Droplets
beakers: one with water, and the other with on Penny on Penny
alcohol. 1
2. See how many drops of each solution you can 2
fit on the head of each coin. Repeat each of
3
these 3 times and record your data in the table
at right. Average

QUESTION: Using the data you collected above, explain which liquid has the higher surface tension.

QUESTION: What is the relationship between surface tension and cohesion?

WATER HAS A HIGH HEAT OF VAPORIZATION

The heat of vaporization of water is 2260 J/g. This means that to change water from a
liquid into a gas, the water itself must absorb 2260 J of energy. As a comparison, the
alcohol we have been using in this lab has a heat of vaporization of 124 J/g. This
property of water is important because many organisms use evaporative cooling; or
the evaporation of water, in order to cool themselves off when they are hot. This is
why sweating is a great way to cool down on a hot day.

From
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Heat_of_Vap
orization_(Benzene%2BAcetone%2BMethano
l%2BWater).png

Activity 4: High Heat of Vaporization

1. Get a piece of sponge and rub some water on the Water Alcohol swab
inside of your forearm. Time to dry Time to dry
2. Place your moistened arm in front of a fan, and
time how long it takes for the water to completely
evaporate so that your arm is dry.
3. Repeat this activity with an alcohol swab. Record
your data in the data chart at right.

QUESTION: Which liquid appears to dry faster, and why? Justify your answer.

Properties of Water Lab 2012

Modified from a lab by David Knuffke, Deer Park HS
Page 6 of 8
 WATER IS LESS DENSE AS A SOLID THAN IT IS AS A
LIQUID
When frozen, water molecules spread themselves apart in
a latticework (see picture at left). This creates air spaces in
the resulting solid that cause the ice that forms to be less
dense than the liquid water it originated from. This is
essential to organisms that live where it is always cold. The
ice floating on top of bodies of water provides insulation
for the life below and prevents organisms’ bodies from
freezing solid in the winter.

Activity 5: Density
1. You will see two water-filled tubs, each with an Tub #1 Tub #2
“ice balloon” inside.
2. In the space at right, describe the behavior of the
ice balloon in each tub.

QUESTION: Explain the behavior of the ice balloons in each of the tubs of water. Which tub contained salt water?
How do you know?

Properties of Water Lab 2012

Modified from a lab by David Knuffke, Deer Park HS
Page 7 of 8
 WATER DISSOCIATES INTO HYDROXIDE AND HYDROGEN IONS
Most chemical reactions in organisms involve solutes dissolved in water.
So that we better understand chemical reactions, we need to know how
many atoms and molecules are involved in those reactions. To do this, we
must work in units that make working with molecules easier to quantify. In
chemistry, the unit of measure when dealing with quantities of molecules
is the mole. Recall that one mole represents Avogadro’s number of
molecules: 1 mole = 6.02 x 1023 molecules of a substance.

Water molecules exist in equilibrium between hydrogen ions and

hydroxide ions:
from http://www.biologycorner.com/resources/dissociation.gif H2O  H+ + OH-
What this ultimately means is that the concentration of both of these ions
is equal to one another, at 1 x 10-7 M. In any aqueous solution at 25° C,
the product of the H+ and OH- concentrations is constant at 10-14 M. To
find this, simply add the [H+] value and the [OH-] value together. It will
always be equal to 10-14 M, regardless of what the individual
concentrations are.

When acids or bases are added to a solution of pure water, the

equilibrium of H+ ions and OH- ions is disturbed and will shift. If acids are
added to water, then the [H+] will increase and the [OH-] will decrease. If
bases are added to water, then the [OH-] will increase, and the [H+] will
decrease.

The concentrations of hydrogen and hydroxide ions are the basis for the
pH scale, which is used to describe how acidic or basic a solution is. If a
solution has a [H+] of less than 10-7 M, then it is considered to be basic. If
a solution has a [OH-] of greater than 10-7 M, then it is considered to be
basic. If a solution has a [H+] = [OH-], where both have concentrations of
from 10-7 M, then the solution is considered to be neutral.
http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_students/images/
phscale.gif
Because the pH scale is a logarithmic scale, each pH unit represents a 10-
fold difference in ion concentration. Thus, a solution of pH 3 is not 3
times more acidic than a solution of pH 6; it is 1,000 times more acidic.

Water molecules also dissociate into hydroxide and hydronium (H3O+)

ions, but its existence as these two ions is very short-lived.

Activity 6: Measurement of pH
1. You will see several different solutions at this Solution pH Acid, base,
station. neutral?
2. To measure the pH of each solution, do the Spring water
following: Ammonia
a. Use the pipet in each solution to place a Vinegar
drop of the solution on the pH paper Lemon juice
provided. Bicarbonate
b. Wait for 1 minute, then compare the paper
Tap water
strip to the color scale provided.

Properties of Water Lab 2012

Modified from a lab by David Knuffke, Deer Park HS
Page 8 of 8