effectively surround the larger molecules and
separate them from each other. If they do this
more or less completely, so that each
molecule is mostly surrounded by a cloud of
water molecules, then that substance has
dissolved in the water.
Water and Heat: From Ice to Steam
The hydrogen bonds among its molecules
have a strong effect on how water absorbs and
transmits heat. At low temperatures, water
exists as solid ice, its molecules immobilized
in organized crystals. As it warms up, it first
melts to become liquid water; and then the
liquid water is vaporized to form steam. Each
phase is affected by hydrogen bonding.
Ice Damages Cells Normally, the solid phase
of a given substance is denser than the liquid
phase. As the molecules’ attraction for each
other becomes stronger than their movements,
the molecules settle into a compact