Emergent Properties of Water

The prototype of complexity and emergent behaviour (within our realm of interest and circles of research) is liquid water. Short-range order and local 

Some characteristics and attributes of the molecule of H-,0 and of bulk water 

Forms stoichiometric hydrates with a Dissolves a molecule within an 

Cannot surround and isolate anything Surrounds and isolates solute molecules 

As a result many different functioning structures may appear within the transient architecture of liquid water. This makes it possible for liquid water to perform in several roles. Water is thus comparable to a supramolecular assembly, and indeed it has been postulated to act as a template for macromolecular systems (e.g. nucleic acids) which have evolved and have breathed life into non-purposive molecular assemblies. In Table 1 we compare some characteristics and attributes of bulk water and the molecule of H2O. 

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