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Hydrogen Bonds Beyond Water
"On Hydrogen Bonds Not Existing in Water"
Between heaven and earth, everything has its own reason. The wonders of hydrogen bonds are often observed by the world with water as the source. However, the existence of hydrogen bonds, how can water be unique?
Water is known to have significant hydrogen bonds between molecules, which makes water have special properties, such as high boiling point, high specific heat capacity, etc., which are essential at the beginning of life and the birth of all things. However, when the physical properties are carefully observed, it is known that hydrogen bonds exist in many substances.
Alcohols, for example, ethanol, whose molecules contain hydroxyl groups, and hydrogen of hydroxyl groups can form hydrogen bonds with neighboring molecular oxygen. The boiling point of ethanol is higher than that of hydrocarbons with similar molecular mass, because its intermolecular hydrogen bonds increase the attractive force between molecules.
Carboxylic acids also have the beauty of hydrogen bonds. In the view of acetic acid, dimers exist due to hydrogen bonds, which have a great influence on their physical and chemical properties, such as melting point and solubility.
Furthermore, hydrogen bonds are also important in biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. The secondary structure of proteins, α-helix and β-folding depend on hydrogen bonds to stabilize their shape; the base pairs of nucleic acids, adenine and thymine, guanine and cytosine hydrogen bonds maintain the double helix structure, which is related to the transmission and storage of genetic information.
It can be seen from the perspective that the existence of hydrogen bonds is not unique to water. It has great uses in organic, biological and other fields, involves all things, and affects physical properties and life processes. Therefore, to observe the principle of hydrogen bonds, we should look at all things and not be restrained in a corner of water, so that we can go further in the road of science.
Between heaven and earth, everything has its own reason. The wonders of hydrogen bonds are often observed by the world with water as the source. However, the existence of hydrogen bonds, how can water be unique?
Water is known to have significant hydrogen bonds between molecules, which makes water have special properties, such as high boiling point, high specific heat capacity, etc., which are essential at the beginning of life and the birth of all things. However, when the physical properties are carefully observed, it is known that hydrogen bonds exist in many substances.
Alcohols, for example, ethanol, whose molecules contain hydroxyl groups, and hydrogen of hydroxyl groups can form hydrogen bonds with neighboring molecular oxygen. The boiling point of ethanol is higher than that of hydrocarbons with similar molecular mass, because its intermolecular hydrogen bonds increase the attractive force between molecules.
Carboxylic acids also have the beauty of hydrogen bonds. In the view of acetic acid, dimers exist due to hydrogen bonds, which have a great influence on their physical and chemical properties, such as melting point and solubility.
Furthermore, hydrogen bonds are also important in biological macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. The secondary structure of proteins, α-helix and β-folding depend on hydrogen bonds to stabilize their shape; the base pairs of nucleic acids, adenine and thymine, guanine and cytosine hydrogen bonds maintain the double helix structure, which is related to the transmission and storage of genetic information.
It can be seen from the perspective that the existence of hydrogen bonds is not unique to water. It has great uses in organic, biological and other fields, involves all things, and affects physical properties and life processes. Therefore, to observe the principle of hydrogen bonds, we should look at all things and not be restrained in a corner of water, so that we can go further in the road of science.
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