We all remember hydrogen bonding from high school chemistry right? Well in case you need one, here's a refresher. Water is polar meaning the electrical charge of the molecule is not evenly distributed. The H atoms and O atom share two pairs of electrons and the O atom tends to pull those electrons a bit harder so the O side of a water molecule has a slight (-) charge and the H sides of the water molecule have slight (+) charges. When you have a bunch of water molecules close together the H of one molecule is attracted to the O of another molecule. Over the trillions (it's actually more) of these interactions that occur in a drop of water, this adds up and it makes it a lot tougher for us to break apart (melting or boiling) the water molecules. If you want to learn more or have no idea what I just said go to
Wikipedia and teach yourself something.
So what does this have to do with anything? First of all, if it weren't for these H-bonds water would boil at about -150ºF instead of 212ºF and we would all be quite unhappy. But the main reason it is important is because it provides us with some insight into our professor Charlie Bamforth's love life.
Charlie likens the water molecule to the Bamforth marital bed. The Oxygen atom is Mrs. Bamforth. The Hydrogen atoms are Charlie. And the shared electrons are the bedspread. Mrs. Bamforth always ends up with the bedspread. Poor Charlie, have a beer on us. (Yes...that is actually him.)
Some random thoughts:
ReplyDeleteIn whitewater, the white is caused by bubbles of air mixed into the water (pour with vigor). This breaks the surface tension and makes it whitewater softer than still water. I'm not completely sure, but I think this has something to do with hydrogen bonding. Would co2 in solution break surface (or hydrogen bonding) tension in beer? Would a belly flop into beer hurt less than one into water?
It could very well be true. I know there is a place in the Czech Republic where you can take a bath in beer in some fancy hotel (http://draftmag.com/features/czech-beer-baths/). So maybe if one of us ever ends up there that will be enough beer to put your hypothesis to work! Either way, I'd bet that a belly flop into beer would hurt less that water cause you could have a drink right after :)
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