Hydrogen Bonding and the Importance to Life - Term Paper Example

 Hydrogen bonding and the importance to life Hydrogen bonding refers to the interaction between pairs of atom with innate high affinity to electron. This is a natural process of attraction distinct and is particular to intermolecular communion which is a consequence of duo partial electric charges within the continuum of opposite polarity. This essay will attempt to correlate hydrogen bonding as essential to sustainability to life. Let us define the basic theory first before proceeding to technical and so complex thought of hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen is represented as H2 in the periodic table of elements. Its basic feature is that it is without color, odor, an insipid gas and is naturally formed by diatomic molecules (Crabtree, Siegbahn, Eisenstein, Rheingold, & Koetzle, 1996). This element is discovered by Henry Cavendish in 1766 who attempted to collect it until it was formally recognized as a distinct gas in 1671 by Robert Boyle in an experiment which disbanded iron in diluted hydrochloric acid (Crabtree et al, 1996). Hydrogen atom or H2, atom is formed by diatomic molecules. The process was described scientifically as a formation made by nucleus with one unit of positive charge and one electron (Crabtree et al, 1996). Hydrogen’s atomic number is 1 and its atomic weight 1,00797 g/mol. This element is basic in the compounds of water and organic matter. This element is evident on earth and in the universe. Scientists who studied this fact pointed that hydrogen is characterized with three isotopes (Crabtree et al, 1996). These are protium with a mass of 1 and is present in almost all of the natural element; deuterium with a mass of 2 that is naturally present in 0.015% elements and tritium (with a mass of 3) that is evident in small quantities but can be in nature but can be produced in many nuclear reactions (Crabtree et al, 1996). Hydrogen properties is described with molecular weight of 2,01594 g.; with density of 0.071 g/l at 0ºC and 1 atm and it is most flammable. It is a soluble in organic solvents, can be absorbed by steel and cause its brittleness. Hydrogen is not a reactive unless heated into an increasing temperature (Crabtree et al, 1996). Hydrogen is essential in ammonia synthesis and in fuel refinement. A great amount of hydrogen is also used in catalytic hydrogenation of unsaturated vegetable oils to produce solid fat (Crabtree et al, 1996). This is called hydrogenation of organic chemical products. For cooks, hydrogen is vital as fuels, can be combined with oxygen or fluor, and for ammunition producer, this element can be a rocket propellent propelled through nuclear energy (Crabtree et al, 1996). For vehicles, hydrogen can help in the combustion engines and is even considered by oil and gas extractive industry as potential fuel of the future because this element is convertible as either electricity from biofuel and vice versa or from natural gas or diesel fuel (Crabtree et al, 1996). This is a perceived as environment-friendly kind of fuel because of some theoretical presumptions that its use is free of carbon monoxide emission or of any considerable toxic chemicals. Hydrogen reacts with oxides and chlorides in metals like silver, copper, and mercury because it reduces salt to metallic state. It can also produce hydrides, like NAH, KH, H2S and PH3, hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, and with oxygen to form water (Britannica, 2011). Hydrogen reaction to produce water is extraordinarily slow, however it can produce explosive violence if influenced by platinum or by electricity (Britannica, 2011). Scientists indicates that high concentration of hydrogen can cause dizziness or knock an individual into unconscious state because it can cause oxygen deficiency. It can cause death. As an element on earth, hydrogen formed about 0.15% of earth’s crust and is a major element in water which constituent about 70% of the world. It is also natural in the atmosphere and in the formation of constellation of stars. Hydrogen wonderfully works in bonding process in an attractive interaction of a hydrogen atom with an electronegative atom, such as nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine that comes from another molecule or chemical group. It can covalently bond to another electronegative atom to create the bond in an intermolecular fashion. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding is responsible for the high boiling point of water (100 °C) compared to the other group 16 hydrides that have no hydrogen bonds. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding also helps structuralize proteins, nucleic acids and even of synthetic and natural polymers. It is also widely perceived that bonding of hydrogen atom can occur in electronegative atom, like fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen. For instance, a hydrogen meted with carbon help hydrogen bonding if bounded to electronegative atoms like chloroform (CHCl3). Hydrogen bond is understood as an electrostatic interaction. It varies in strength from very weak (1-2 kJ mol−1) to extremely strong (>155 kJ mol−1), as in the ion HF− 2. Scientists cited that in the case of enthalpies in vapor, the bonding can be described to include: F—H...:F (155 kJ/mol or 40 kcal/mol) O—H...:N (29 kJ/mol or 6.9 kcal/mol) O—H...:O (21 kJ/mol or 5.0 kcal/mol) N—H...:N (13 kJ/mol or 3.1 kcal/mol) N—H...:O (8 kJ/mol or 1.9 kcal/mol) HO—H...:OH+ 3 (18 kJ/mol[6] or 4.3 kcal/mol) {Data obtained using molecular dynamics as detailed in the reference and should be compared to 7.9 kJ/mol for bulk waters, obtained using the same molecular dynamics.} Hydrogen bonding’s length depend on levels of strength, temperature, and pressure or environment (usually characterized by local dielectric constant). For water, the length of hydrogen bond is 197 pm although this is also influenced by the nature of bond donor. The simplest form of hydrogen boning is featurized in water, elementally described as two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. In liquid water, more bonds are potential because the oxygen of one water molecule has two lone pairs of electrons that can inspire hydrogen bond with hydrogen on another water molecule. Hydrgen can even bond with water molecules up to four. This can repeat such that every water molecule is H-bonded with up to four other molecules. The high boiling point of water is also influenced by the number of hydrogen bonds formed by molecules. Because of bond strengthening, water will have comparatively high boiling point, melting point, and viscosity. Scientist described in pure water with standard temperature and pressure, the formula average to an estimate of one in every 5.5 × 108 molecules that gives up a proton through dissociation. Hydrogen bonding is also essential in three-dimensional structures adopted by proteins and nucleic bases. The bonding help form the matter into specific shape to determine its molecule's physiological or biochemical role. The double helical structure of DNA for instance is exhibited by hydrogen bonding in the base pairs to network with complementary strands in replicated manner. In the formation of polymers, hydrogen bonding can produce nylon by crystallizing the matter (Goncharov, Manaa, Zaug, Gee, Fried, and Montgomery, 2005). Bonding happened between carbonyl and amine groups in the amide repeat unit effectively to create crystals (Goncharov, et al., 2005). Hydrogen bonding is equally helpful in the structure of cellulose like wood and natural fibres e.g. cotton and flax. Hydrogen bonding or molecular confluence is essential to sustain life (Goncharov, et al., 2005). This is because the natural process of bonding dictates the formation of water and matter that are essential in human lives. Human body for instance requires water and is in fact composed of 60% water (Goncharov, et al., 2005). Human beings take water so as not to dehydrate and to fill its biological functions. Water is important for every aspect of human beings existence (Goncharov, et al., 2005). It is essential in its biological function, in cleansing, in health and sanitation. The absence of water means death. Human civilization in fact have thrived in areas where there are potable waters to access for their daily necessities. Water is equally important for other living things such as plants and animals. Without it, living things can impossibly survive. Hydrogen bonding also helps the formation of some matters structure. Living things are also dependent on some mundane elements like woods in the formation of homes and facilities. In conclusion, it can be inferred that hydrogen bonding is a basic process to elicit the potency of life and in sustaining it. Such bonding, simply exhibit in water, allowed cohesion, surface tension, adhesion, imbibition e.g. soaking of water, heating, vaporizing, and freezing. The process may not be this too observable in naked eyes too often except in some scientific experimentation where gadgets are used for observation. But such universal and natural process allowed survival which is evident in our daily affairs with nature. REFERENCES Britanicca (2011). Hydrogen Bonding. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/278659/hydrogen-bonding. Accessed May 26, 2011. Kimball (2011) . Hydrogen Bonding. http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/H/HydrogenBonds.html Accessed May 26, 2011. Robert H. Crabtree, Per E. M. Siegbahn, Odile Eisenstein, Arnold L. Rheingold, and Thomas F. Koetzle (1996) A New Intermolecular Interaction: Unconventional Hydrogen Bonds with Element-Hydride Bonds as Proton Acceptor Acc. Chem. Res. 1996, 29(7), 348 - 354. Alexander F. Goncharov, M. Riad Manaa, Joseph M. Zaug, Richard H. Gee, Laurence E. Fried, and Wren B. Montgomery (2005) Polymerization of Formic Acid under High Pressure Phys. Rev. Lett. 2005, 94, 065505 Read More