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Quizzes > Science

AP Biology water properties quiz: Polarity, Cohesion, and Surface Tension

Quick, free AP Bio water quiz-test polarity, cohesion, and more. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: James Levi PangilinanUpdated Aug 27, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
paper art style water molecules droplets showing polarity cohesion surface tension AP Bio quiz on golden yellow background

Use this quiz to check your understanding of water's properties-polarity, cohesion, adhesion, hydrogen bonding, and surface tension. Get instant feedback and build skills, then expand your review with the ap biology unit 2 quiz, practice biomolecules in the biology macromolecules quiz, or brush up basics in a biochemistry quiz.

Which feature makes a water molecule polar?
Bent molecular geometry with unequal electron sharing between O and H (electronegativity difference creates a dipole)
Symmetric charge distribution across all atoms
Tetrahedral geometry around each hydrogen atom
Linear molecular geometry with equal electron sharing
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Water molecules form hydrogen bonds with each other, leading to cohesion.
True
False
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How many hydrogen bonds can a single water molecule form simultaneously under ideal conditions?
One
Two
Four (two as donor via H atoms and two as acceptor via lone pairs)
Three
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Water adheres to cellulose in plant cell walls, aiding capillary rise in xylem.
False
True
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Which property of water most directly moderates coastal climates by buffering temperature change?
High specific heat capacity (absorbs/release large heat with small temperature change)
Low viscosity
Low surface tension
High compressibility
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Sweating cools the body primarily because water has a high heat of vaporization.
True
False
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What is the value of Kw (the ion-product constant for water) at 25 °C?
1.0 × 10^0
1.0 × 10^-12
1.0 × 10^-7
1.0 × 10^-14 (because [H+][OH-] equals this at 25 °C)
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In an aqueous NaCl solution, how are water molecules oriented around Na+ ions?
Hydrogen atoms face Na+ due to their partial positive charge
Water molecules avoid Na+ due to hydrophobic effects
Oxygen atoms face Na+ due to their partial negative charge
Random orientation with no preference
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The hydrophobic effect drives phospholipids to form bilayers in water.
False
True
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Amphipathic single-tailed surfactant molecules (e.g., detergents) in water tend to form which structure above the critical micelle concentration (CMC)?
Gaseous colloids
Micelles (hydrophobic tails inward, polar heads outward)
Covalent networks
Crystalline ionic lattices
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Capillary action requires both cohesion among water molecules and adhesion to a surface.
False
True
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At 25 °C, the concentration of H+ in pure water is 1.0 × 10^-6 M.
False
True
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Which statement describes how water's high dielectric constant influences ionic compounds in solution?
It reduces electrostatic attraction between ions, promoting dissociation
It makes ionic compounds more volatile
It increases ion pairing by strengthening Coulombic forces
It prevents hydration shells from forming
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Vapor pressure of a solvent decreases when a nonvolatile solute is added (Raoult's law), reducing evaporation rate.
True
False
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Which change lowers the freezing point of water the most?
Increasing external pressure slightly
Adding insoluble sand
Dissolving a higher molality of any nonvolatile solute (colligative effect)
Cooling very slowly without solute
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What is the approximate molar concentration of pure liquid water at 25 °C?
0.055 M
18.0 M
1.0 M
55.5 M (1000 g/L divided by 18.0 g/mol)
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Which equation gives osmotic pressure for dilute solutions?
π = RT/M
π = PV/nR
π = 1/2 mv^2
π = iMRT (van ’t Hoff equation)
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Which isotopic substitution alters water's boiling point the most compared to H2O?
Replacing H with He
Replacing O with S
Replacing H with D (D2O has a higher boiling point)
Replacing O with N
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Which variable in the van ’t Hoff equation for osmotic pressure accounts for ion dissociation in water?
Molarity M
Temperature T
The van ’t Hoff factor i (e.g., ~2 for NaCl)
The gas constant R
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Which best explains why proteins tend to fold with hydrophobic residues buried in aqueous environments?
Water forms covalent bonds with hydrophobic residues
Hydrophobic residues form hydrogen bonds with water
Electrostatic attraction between water and hydrophobic side chains
The hydrophobic effect increases entropy of water by minimizing ordered clathrate-like shells
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Molecular Polarity -

    Define what is polarity AP Bio and describe how uneven electron distribution in water molecules creates a dipole that drives many of water's unique behaviors.

  2. Analyze Hydrogen Bonding -

    Explain how hydrogen bonding between water molecules underpins key properties of water AP Bio, including cohesion, adhesion, and thermal regulation.

  3. Identify Cohesion and Adhesion -

    Distinguish between cohesion and adhesion forces in water and illustrate their roles in capillary action, transport in plants, and cellular processes.

  4. Explain Surface Tension -

    Interpret how surface tension arises from molecular interactions in water and discuss its ecological and physiological importance, with surface tension AP Bio examples.

  5. Apply Thermal Properties -

    Apply concepts of high specific heat and heat of vaporization to real-world scenarios, demonstrating how water's thermal stability supports living systems.

  6. Evaluate Biological Significance -

    Assess the impact of water's characteristics on ecosystem dynamics and cellular function, reinforcing core concepts of AP Biology water properties.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Molecular Polarity -

    Water's polar nature arises because oxygen's electronegativity pulls shared electrons closer, giving O a partial negative (δ−) and H atoms partial positive (δ+). Understanding what is polarity AP Bio requires you to illustrate this dipole with a Lewis or ball-and-stick model. Mnemonic: "O wears the negative coat."

  2. Hydrogen Bonding -

    Hydrogen bonds form when a δ+ hydrogen atom in one water molecule is attracted to a δ− oxygen in another, providing cohesion and high heat capacity. Each bond (~20 kJ/mol) is weaker than a covalent bond but collectively accounts for water's unique behavior in AP Biology water properties. Remember: "Hydrogen bonds hold hands."

  3. Cohesion, Adhesion & Capillary Action -

    Water's cohesion (molecule-to-molecule) and adhesion (water-to-surface) power capillary action, enabling water to rise through plant xylem. This property is central to AP Biology properties of water and underpins nutrient transport in roots and stems. Visualize: "Water climbs vessel stairs."

  4. Surface Tension -

    Surface tension arises from cohesive hydrogen bonds at the liquid - air boundary, resulting in a "skin" that supports small insects like water striders. In surface tension AP Bio questions, you might calculate tension using units (mN/m) or describe its biological implications. Think of a tight "molecular trampoline."

  5. High Specific Heat & Thermal Stability -

    With a specific heat of 4.18 J/g·°C, water buffers environmental and cellular temperature fluctuations, a vital concept in AP Biology water properties. Use q = m·c·ΔT to calculate heat changes in exercises, reinforcing how water sustains life's thermal homeostasis. Recall: "Water's thermal cushion."

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