Submitted by:

NAME: ABHISHEK LEVE

BRANCH: APE-GAS
SAP ID: 500045994
ENRL NO: R820215005
 A hydrogen bond is a weak type of force that forms a special type of
dipole-dipole attraction which occurs when a hydrogen atom bonded
to a strongly electronegative atom exists in the vicinity of another
electronegative atom with a lone pair of electrons.

 A Hydrogen Bond is Comparatively Weak to Covalent or Ionic bond

(As much as 22 times weaker)

Then Why
Hydrogen Bonds
Are So Necessary
In Life?
 A major part of all living organisms is made up of water. Human
body has about 65% and some plants have as much as 95%
water. It is a solvent of great importance.

 The unusual properties of water in the condensed phase (liquid

and solid states) are due to the presence of extensive hydrogen
bonding between water molecules.

 Water has a higher specific heat, thermal conductivity, surface

tension, dipole moment and dielectric constant, etc. These
properties allow water to play a key role in the biosphere.

 Oxygen being more electronegative bears delta negative charge

and hydrogen acquires delta positive charge.
 Formation of Collagen
 Strength of hydrogen bonds is required to firstly join two amino
acid chains (polypeptides) together into a helix. Three helices are
then bound into a triple helix by yet more hydrogen bonds.

 RESULT:
1. A fibrous quaternary protein structure with a high tensile
strength that the mammalian skeleton muscles could not
function without.
2. Tendons attach skeletal muscles to their respective bones and
we would simply not be able to move without them.
 Hydrogen bonds in proteins

Hydrogen bonds provide

most of the directional The core of most protein
interactions that underpin structures is composed of
protein folding, protein secondary structures such as α
structure and molecular helix and β sheet.
recognition.

This satisfies the Hydrogen bonding between a

hydrogen‐bonding potential protein and its ligands
between main chain carbonyl provides a directionality and
oxygen and amide nitrogen specificity of interaction that
buried in the hydrophobic is a fundamental aspect of
core of the protein. molecular recognition.
 Hydrogen
bonding found in
Water possess high water makes the
specific heat capacity metabolic
due hydrogen bonding,
reactions in body
thus water requires
so efficient.
more energy to raise its
temperature

For every 10℃

It helps in below optimum
actively temperature, the
maintaining the rate of successive
body substrate-enzyme
temperature at 37 collisions decreases
degree Celsius. by 2 to 3 times
 What is Transpiration?
Transpiration is the loss of water from leaves of plants by
evaporation and causes water to move into the roots up
the xylem within the plant stem.

Hydrogen bonds play When water

an important role in molecules are moved The molecules also Since plants form the
transpiration in the up the xylem vessels, stick to the wall of the basis of most
same way that they do they move as a whole vessels by hydrogen ecosystems as
in the cohesion of due to the hydrogen bonds, aiding the producers, hydrogen
water molecules to bonding cohesive transport of the water bonding plays a key
cause high surface forces between the further more. role in life.
tension. molecules.
There are various Hydrogen bonding attributes which benefit the marine
environment.

High Specific • Hydrogen bonding increases the strength between water molecules, thus
specific high capacity of water increases which help to restrict water
Heat capacity temperature fluctuations which benefit the marine habitat.

• The high surface tension of water is best explained by relating it to its close
High surface proximity of adjacent water molecules in aqueous solution caused by H.B.
tension • Pond skater insect utilize the high surface tension of lakes and ponds by
walking on the surface of the water to look for prey.

• Ice has a lighter mass than the same volume of its liquid counterpart and
thus ice can float on top of water. This provides heat insulation and bodies
Low relative of water never freeze.
density of ice • Ice is also a habitat for sub-terrestrial organisms such as penguins and
polar bears, a habitat that would not exist if ice did not float.
It is clear that without hydrogen bonds life, as we know it today
would not exist.

Water makes up most of the earth’s surface and it is perhaps the

molecule that is most essential for life- providing stable habitats for
marine and terrestrial organisms as well transport of water in plants.

The fact that most of the properties that water possess is due to
hydrogen bonding shows that hydrogen bonds are the basis of life.