Water is polar, allowing it to form hydrogen bonds.
Water's properties include cohesion, adhesion, high specific heat, high heat of vaporization, and universal solvent.
Carbon forms four covalent bonds, enabling biological diversity.
Biological macromolecules:
Carbohydrates → quick energy & structure
Lipids → long-term energy & membranes
Proteins → enzymes & cellular functions
Nucleic acids → genetic information
Enzymes lower activation energy (Ea) but do not change ΔG or equilibrium.
Dehydration synthesis builds polymers; hydrolysis breaks them apart.