[gowadon]

In an addition reaction between a halide (such as bromine water) and an alkene/alkyne (such as propene), the products should be (1-)bromopropane and hydrogen bromide.
   I would like to know why the bromine "wants" to bond to the first carbon in the chain instead of the second. Any thoughts? (My chemistry teacher is beginning to give me more homework so I don't have time to ask her these kind of questions )

[Hunter2]

In case of bromine water you will get isomers of bromine-propanol.

http://www.chemguide.co.uk/organicprops/alkenes/halogenation.html

Check also the  law of Markovnikov

[gowadon]

how would you get bromine propanol when there's no oxygen in the equation to make the neccesary hydroxide?

[discodermolide]

Have a look her for bromine water:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypobromous_acid

Alkenes react with the hypobromous acid to add HO and Br across the double bond. So in your case you will get 2-bromopropan-1-ol