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Water - what is Water?

  • Планета Регионов
  • 10 Dec, 2025
  • 22,190 прегледи
Water - what is Water?
Zenin Stanislav Valentinovich - Professor, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Candidate of Chemical and Philosophical SciencesA strange formulation of the question about what seems to be the most common and most widespread substance in the world, however, migrates from one book across the water to another with the same goal - to intrigue the reader. It seems to you that you know something about water, but in fact there is something mysterious and unknowable in it, which you are not even aware of. This background to this question was invariably felt and then reinforced by a listing of the strange properties of water that justified the form of the question.
Here are just some of the most important features of water. First of all, according to its chemical properties at room temperature, it should have remained a gas. The most striking example confirming this statement is the existence in the gaseous state of a related compound - hydrogen sulfide, although the sulfur atom, which replaces oxygen, is even twice as heavy as the oxygen atom. Geometrically, the hydrogen sulfide molecule differs from the water molecule in that the angle between S-H bonds is 92 degrees, while the angle between O-H bonds is 104.5 degrees. Let us recall that theoretically, according to quantum chemistry, such an angle should have been right. As we can see, the geometry of the water molecule deviated quite strongly from the theory, in contrast to the geometry of the hydrogen sulfide molecule, which almost exactly approached the calculated one. Surprisingly, it was this difference that determined the different states of these substances, making water a liquid at room temperature.
It is no wonder that such a strangely obtained liquid began to have unusual properties. And the point is not only that its freezing and boiling points should have been significantly lower, but that the maximum density of water is about four degrees Celsius and, therefore, with subsequent cooling it begins to decrease, and not increase, like all normal liquids with decreasing temperature. There is still no reasonable explanation for this fact, although floating ice constantly reminds us of this anomaly.
Of course, there are other unusual properties, for example, the minimum value of heat capacity at 35 degrees Celsius, which is certainly important for living organisms.
All this turned out to be sufficient for close attention to studies of the structure of water, especially since in the human body the aquatic environment makes up 70-80%.
4. PROBLEM OF WATER STRUCTURE.
First of all, it is necessary to explain why suddenly the concept of “water structure” turned out to be a problem and why it is necessary to touch upon this complex and indigestible concept at all. The fact is that the unusual properties of water had to be explained somehow, and besides the internal transformations of water molecules, there was probably simply nothing to come up with as a reason for the manifestation of these properties.
The wariness of academic scientific circles towards the word “structure” in relation to water was explained in two ways. Firstly, the only factor for the internal transformation of water molecules - the hydrogen bond - has an extremely short lifetime: about ten to the minus twelfth or fourteenth of a second. What a structure there is! Before it has time to arise, it must already disintegrate. Secondly, from the presence of the structure of water to the “notorious” “memory of water” is one step. And this concept is associated with a whole epic of not very scientific views. Many adherents of conservative scientific circles came to this conclusion. The fact is that back in 1988, the Frenchman Jacques Benvenisto proclaimed the phenomenon of water memory based on an analysis of his homeopathic studies [6], naturally, without mentioning anything about any molecular ideas about the structure of water. This caused a storm of protest against attributing the properties of highly organized animals to ordinary substances. They even tried twice to give him the clownish Nobel Prize for such a “ridiculous” proposal. When, during his visit to Russia, two years before his death, after his speech at the Federal Center of the Ministry of Health, the author of these lines was able to ask in detail his opinion on deciphering the mechanism of water memory, he confidently replied that this should be done by physical chemists and biophysicists. Knowing the direction of our physical and chemical research on water, J. Benvenisto immediately added: “So you must get to the explanation of the mechanism of water memory.” Thus, on the one hand, he showed that the memory of water should be talked about at a much more subtle level than biomacromolecules, and, on the other hand, he also confirmed his position on this issue - at the level of his research, a clear conviction was created in the existence of the phenomenon of “water memory”. In his opinion, it was possible to obtain complete confirmation and decoding of the mechanism of water memory only at the molecular level.
The nihilistic attitude of the scientific community towards the study of intramolecular interactions in water, however, should be explained not only by the short lifetime of the hydrogen bond, but also by their unimaginable diversity. Imagine how many combinations of such bonds can be obtained if even one water molecule has four centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds. The dimer will have six of them, the trimer will already have eight, and subsequent molecules can connect to any of these centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds. Therefore, the choice of association path for water molecules has always been a serious obstacle in studies of its structural state.
The relationship between the structure and memory of water immediately lays a bridge from molecular concepts to the conclusions necessary for the scientific substantiation of bioenergy therapy, however, this path turned out to be long and painstaking, which is, in principle, characteristic of any serious scientific research.

5. DECODING THE STRUCTURAL STATE OF WATER.
5-1. Formation of stable associates.
Water moleculeTo obtain the primary picture Many scientists have spent a lot of effort on the structural state of water over the last century. But, according to most experts, until recently it was not possible to obtain a satisfactory picture when creating structural models of water. This circumstance became somewhat clearer when the reasons for such unsuccessful attempts in water research were identified. If previously, with the usual thermodynamic approach, water should have been considered as a statistical system of chaotically interacting molecules, recent studies have shown the possibility of a qualitatively different approach that takes into account the initial structural features of the water molecule and the directed nature of the process of formation of hydrogen bonds (Fig. 1), i.e. a certain order in the sequence of interaction of centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds in water.
The results of a detailed study of the sequence of elementary events in water turned out to be stunning. Water appeared before the researchers in the form of a strictly ordered, completely deterministic system. On the one hand, this contradicted consideration from the position of statistical thermodynamics, on the other hand, it was attractive due to the full consideration of the chemical processes of complex formation in an aqueous environment, without which the use of statistical laws in the chaos of interacting molecules seems incorrect.
What was the heuristic solution to this seemingly complex, confusing and difficult-to-solve problem even in principle? It seems that there is only one circumstance, without taking into account which it is actually impossible to achieve a harmonious order of constructing associates of water molecules: knowledge of the elementary fundamentals of chemical kinetics. If in the geometry of constructing associates structures appear with centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds lying in the same plane, then the constants of intermolecular interaction between them do not consist of individual equilibrium constants for each of the hydrogen bonds, but are their product.
Since this phrase sounds a little more scientific than it should be for a popular science presentation, let's try to simplify the understanding of the meaning of what was said. When two molecules form an associate, the ratio of the concentration of the associate to the product of the concentrations of the original molecules is called the equilibrium constant. For water molecules at room temperature, this constant is of the order of 10 l/mol. If we imagine two more complex associates, having, for example, six centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds in the same plane, which can interact with a similar complementary six only all at once, then the corresponding equilibrium constant between them will be equal to a million. Why is this important to know?
The fact is that the stability of the neoplasm and, accordingly, its lifetime in this case will increase by approximately six orders of magnitude. Such a powerful increase in the lifetime means the existence of a fundamentally possible way of sharply stabilizing the associates arising in water, which qualitatively changes the position of rejection of the position about the fundamental possibility of the long-term existence of a set of water molecules connected by hydrogen bonds.
Such a position in this case should probably be called simply illiterate.
Let's try to take into account the above considerations when constructing structural formations from water molecules. And it would be even better if, when choosing models, known chemical-kinetic concepts are constantly present to harmonize and correct the expected and the actual, since taking them into account must necessarily bring the expected formations closer to those that actually exist.
Let's start from the very beginning, i.e. from one water molecule (Fig. 1). Two hydrogen atoms and two lone oxygen electrons are the four centers for hydrogen bonding. Since there is no reason to single out any one of them, in this case we should assume that the formation of a hydrogen bond is equally probable in any of the four directions close to tetrahedral. True, it is necessary to immediately pay attention to one simple, but very important circumstance. The hydrogen atom of the water molecule in question will interact with the lone electron of the oxygen atom of one of the approaching water molecules, and the lone electron of the water molecule in question will, accordingly, interact with the hydrogen atom of another of the approaching water molecules. Such interactions should be called complementary.
A water molecule that has fully realized its centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds with the surrounding four water molecules Five-molecular associateModel of a water associate of 57 moleculesOf course, the supposed symmetrical environment of one water molecule by four more (Fig. 2) can exist for an extremely short time. But the centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds in each of the four external molecules, of which there are three left for each, are no worse in terms of the probability of interaction than the already reacted centers, and water molecules can also be connected to them at some point (Fig. 3). Such a seventeen-molecular formation, of course, can only be imagined hypothetically due to its short-term existence, but the geometry of the mutual arrangement of hydrogen bonds at an angle close to the tetrahedral and to the angle of the pentagon unexpectedly gives a chance to increase the lifetime of its existence due to the formation of six five-membered cycles at once (Fig. 4). According to chemical-kinetic concepts, in this case, a narrow concentration “stream” appears, as it were, of the flow of associates into a longer-term existence. The increase in lifetime occurs due to the deepening of the potential energy well in which all 17 molecules are located, immediately by an amount equal to six energies of hydrogen bond formation. But the main thing is not even this, but the emerging geometry of the neoplasm. The same arrangement of six centers of hydrogen bond formation appears in one plane, which, under the condition of complementarity, are ready to “collapse” with a similar formation due to the millionth interaction constant.
Supertetrahedron of five quanta Cyclic formation of six quanta - a snowflakeA "trickle" of the flow of associates into a longer-term existence in each of the six potential energy holes of the 17 molecular skeleton “found” the next deepening of the potential well, also equal to six hydrogen bond energies. As a result, a beautiful geometric figure appears (Fig. 5) - a dodecahedral tetrahedron [7,8], which, as it were, becomes a kind of “quantum” in further construction - a kind of convenient brick for construction.
“Quantum” justifies its name by the fact that with its emergence the process of “collapse” with a millionth constant becomes the only and main process of further association. The fact is that the four planes of the tetrahedron (Fig. 5) again contain six centers of hydrogen bond formation in each and the “flowing” of associates becomes a large “stream” having two directions (Fig. 6 and Fig. 7). Five- and six-quantum formations are formed: a supertetrahedron in the form of a four-pointed “star” (Fig. 6) and a kind of six-rayed “snowflake” (Fig. 7). Scientifically, it is more correct to call these formations fractions, since they were subsequently recorded by high-performance liquid chromatography in the form of fractions.
The “stream” of formation and “flowing” of associates does not stop there, but, on the contrary, sharply intensifies due to the unexpected formation of a single plane by three planes of interacting “quanta” and the appearance in this plane in each of the fractions of already eighteen centers of hydrogen bond formation (Fig. 6 and 7), which implies subsequent interactions with a constant equal to ten to the eighteenth power. A long-lived “river” of asocytes appears with a lifetime eighteen orders of magnitude higher than the lifetime of previous formations. Such associates could spill into a whole “sea”, and in this case the water should turn into a gel. Fortunately, this did not happen, since among the long-lived associates, the interaction of two five-quantum fractions and one six-quantum fraction forms a geometric figure (Fig. 8), which can be represented as a rhombic cube with an edge of 2.9 nm and an acute angle of 60 degrees (Fig. 9), on each face of which there were already 24 centers of hydrogen bond formation, which was the reason for the final stabilization of this type of associates [10].
Combination of one six and two five-quantum fractions into the structural element of waterIt will probably seem strange that such a powerful increase in the number of water molecules and then the number of “quanta” in associates can suddenly suddenly end. The answer turned out to be extremely simple. The probability of complementary interaction at once with six, then eighteen, and now twenty-four centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds rapidly decreased due to a sharp increase in the number of combinations that must be sorted out in order to “stumble upon” a complementary combination. Therefore, such a powerful increase in the binding constant at these centers was compensated by an equally powerful decrease in the probability of complementary interaction. At the level of twenty-four centers, hydrogen bonding ceased.
This is confirmed by an analysis of the general scheme of association for hydrogen bonds, from which follows a simple formula [8] limiting the number of units in an associate obtained by some type of hydrogen bond formation - one, six, eighteen and, finally, twenty-four:
Kp Mo = m (m+l)/2
where Kp is the equilibrium constant for this type of hydrogen bond formation bonds,
Mo is the concentration of associates of a given type, m is the number of units of this type of formation of hydrogen bonds.
The value of m, when accurately calculated, becomes quite definite for each type of association, respectively, for the first 57, for the second either 5 or 6, for the third combined 3 and for the fourth significantly less than one, i.e. shows the impossibility of further complexation via hydrogen bonds.
Thus, a rhombic cube of 16 quanta or 912 water molecules turns out to be a stable structural element of the aquatic environment, which was confirmed by proton magnetic resonance methods [7,8], high-performance liquid chromatography [9], optical spectroscopy methods [10] and accompanying analysis and processing of the experimental data obtained.
Let's consider what it means to say that the entire aquatic environment consists of structural elements.
5-2. A structural element instead of a water molecule
Such a headline can shock any physical chemist. Encroach on the “holy of holies”, i.e. on the basis of the existence of the most common and vital liquid of water molecules - isn’t this blasphemy? Of course, blasphemy and, moreover, at the present time the most necessary for understanding the chemical, biological and physiological role of water. For chemistry, such a statement about replacing the molecular basis of water with a structural element, which in molecular weight is almost three orders of magnitude greater than a water molecule, immediately saves us from the contradiction between the fact that, according to the chemical properties of the water molecule, it should have existed at room temperatures and at significantly lower temperatures in the form of a gas, and the fact that water turned out to be in the form of a much-needed liquid. A significant increase in weight of the molecular basis, or, more correctly, the elementary basis, perfectly resolves this contradiction.
For the first time in biology, the proportionality of macromolecules and aqueous structures appears, which contributes to the consideration of the active role of the aqueous environment in intracellular processes, pushing aside previous ideas about it as a passive solvent.
For physiology, there is a fundamental possibility of explaining various substrate and field effects on the biochemical composition of blood through changes in the structural state of the water component.
The structural element has a number of extremely important properties that make it possible to explain well-known but still inexplicable phenomena. First of all, we are talking about magnetic treatment of water, which has made it possible for a relatively long time to get rid of scale in boilers, preventing their explosions when any “hole” forms in a thick layer of scale due, for example, to the fall of even a small piece of this layer. There is nothing magnetic in water except the magnetic moment of the proton. Attempts to explain the influence of the magnetic field through the effect on a certain cooperation of proton spins yielded nothing due to the statistical nature of the directions of the spins in various water molecules. Schematic representation of areas of positive and negative charges in the structural element of waterA stable structural element has on its faces are partially charged oxygen and hydrogen atoms, and when it rotates around the center of gravity, negatively charged oxygens are 1.09 angstroms closer to the center than positively charged hydrogens (Fig. 10). But this means that the area of ​​the circle outlined by the movement of positive charges is less than the area of ​​the circle outlined by the movement of negative charges. Their difference determines the uncompensated magnetic moment of the element, which immediately eliminates the problem of misunderstanding the effect of a magnetic field on water.
The almost complete absence of hydrogen bonds between structural elements allows them to be considered as if suspended in a Coulomb field, which ensures their extreme lability and, accordingly, high sensitivity to the action of an external magnetic field.
Mutual adjustment of elements in their arrangement to the orientation of individual structural elements with maximum values ​​of magnetic moments changed under the influence of a magnetic field leads to a general change in the structural state of water.
Accordingly, the effect of the electric field is reduced not only to the direct influence on the dipoles of water molecules, which most likely will not change the structural state of water due to the statistical nature of the distribution of the direction of dipoles in various molecules, but also to a more significant interaction with the macrodipoles of structural elements.
Just as in the case of a magnetic field, the mutual adjustment of the elements in their arrangement to the orientation of the macrodipoles of individual structural elements changed under the influence of the electric field with the maximum values ​​of their dipole moments leads to a general change in the structural state of water.
The indicated mechanisms of action of electric and magnetic fields make it possible to fundamentally explain the effect of any electromagnetic oscillations on water.
Since the charge distribution on each face is quite diverse - two to the twenty-fourth power, then when molecules of any substance with a certain charge distribution on the surface get into water, there will always be a face of the structural element on which there will be a corresponding complementary charge distribution, which will lead to the solubility of the substance. This explains the almost universal solubility of many substances in water.
Thus, the discovery of a stable structural element not only does not contradict the manifestation of the physical properties of water, but, on the contrary, even helps to understand the reason for the influence of various factors on the state of water. The level of stable structural elements with a strictly ordered tetrahedral configuration of the centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds of the constituent water molecules represents the basis for the subsequent consideration of the macrostructure of the aquatic environment.
5-3. From structural element to water cell.
Location structural elements in a water cell. The faces with zero total charge least capable of external interaction form the shell of the cellThe variety of charge patterns on the faces of structural elements allows us to suggest the nature of their subsequent interactions. In reality, each element is surrounded by other structural elements with a mutually complementary charge distribution (Fig. 11). It is clear that the faces with uncompensated ones will interact first charges, since out of 24 centers for the formation of hydrogen bonds there will not always be exactly 12 oxygen atoms and, accordingly, 12 hydrogen atoms on each face. Then we should expect the interaction of the so-called matrix-polarized faces, when a generally charge-neutral face has spatially separated groups of charges of different signs. The possibility of a kind of charge-complementary interaction arises when the mutual orientation of matrix-polarized ones occurs. faces with opposite charge groups and, accordingly, their stabilization due to the energy of interaction of opposite charges. Further, with complete compensation of such charged places on the faces, it is possible for charges to appear on the residual lateral centers of the formation of hydrogen bonds that are not involved in the formation of the structural element [11]. It turned out to be interesting to compare the calculated values of the volume of such manifolds and the experimentally determined sizes of some isolated sets that are somewhat distinguished on a contrast-phase microscope, very similar to cells
The observed half-micron size of the cells quite accurately coincides with the size of the volume occupied by the number of structural elements of all types, it could be assumed that, despite the labile stable nature of the subsequent ones. formations, a certain determinism of their construction must still be observed. Finding experimental evidence of the existence of various structural levels of the cell in this case is much more difficult. Therefore, the idea of ​​the cell structure proposed below was obtained, first of all, by accurately calculating all the combinations necessary to compensate first for the charged faces and then for the matrix-polarized faces. The experimental confirmation obtained at the end of our studies of the cell model derived from the calculations and the surprisingly accurate coincidence (up to 0.2%) of the number of structural elements calculated and actually involved in the formation of the cell allows us to offer a complete picture of the structural state of the cell.
To be continued....
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A strange formulation of the question about what seems to be the most common and most widespread substance in the world, however, migrates from one book on water to another with the constant goal of intriguing the reader. It seems to you that you know something about water, but in fact there is something mysterious and unknowable in it, which you don’t even know about...
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