ABSTRACT
Latimer and Rodebush rst described hydrogen bonding in 1920. It occurs when an atom of hydrogen is attracted by strong forces to two atoms instead of only one, as its single valence electron implies. The hydrogen atom thus acts to form a divalent bond between the two other atoms (Pauling, 1948). Such hydrogen bonds in liquid water are central to water’s life-providing properties. This paper sets out to investigate the consequences if the hydrogen bond strength of water was to differ from its natural value. From this, an estimate is made as to how far the hydrogen bond strength of water may be varied from its naturally found value but still be supportive of life, in a similar manner to the apparent tuning of physical cosmological constants to the existence of the universe (Rees, 2003).
