WATER, ACIDS, AND BASES

The Chemistry of Life

Keywords

Learning objectives

Lesson overview

Acid, Base, Hydrogen Bond, pH, Polarity, Solution

Water, like carbon, has a special role in living things. It is needed by all known forms of life. As you have seen, water is a simple molecule, containing just three atoms. Nonetheless, water’s structure gives it unique properties that help explain why it is vital to all living organisms.

• Describe the distribution of Earth’s water.• Identify water’s structure and properties.• Define acids, bases, and pH.• Explain why water is essential for life.

ENGAGE 10min

Study the 3D model “H2O” in the Lifeliqe Chemistry library. Then, formulate answers to these questions:

• How does this compound form?• Why do you think it is so plentiful?

EXPLORE 30min

Read “Water, Acids, and Bases.”www.ck12.org/section/Water-Acids-and-Bases...

Study the cK-12 PLIX “Acids and Bases in Biology: Properties of Acids and Bases.”www.ck12.org/assessment/tools/geometry-tool/plix.html?eId=SCI.BIO.219...

Study the 3D model “Formation of Covalent Bonds in H2O” in the Lifeliqe Chemistry library. Then, formulate answers to these questions:

• What is the process by which the bonds are formed?• What characterizes the resulting compound?

EXPLAIN 10min

EXTEND / ELABORATE 10min

Take what you have learned and see it in authentic contexts.

Read and view “How Much Water is There?”www.ck12.org/biology/Water-and-Life/rwa/How-Much-Water-Is-There/...

Take the following quiz to assess what you have learned.

“Water, Acids, and Bases”www.ck12.org/section/Water-Acids-and-Bases...

EVALUATE 10min

Select content for this lesson plan was derived from Brainard, J. (2017). CK-12 Biology. Palo Alto, CA: CK-12 Foundation.Except as otherwise noted, all cK-12 content (including cK-12 curriculum material) is made available to users in

accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NV 3.0)License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/). http://www.ck12.org/saythanks.