HYDROPHILIC GROUP Meaning and
Definition
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A hydrophilic group refers to a chemical group or moiety that has an affinity or attraction towards water molecules. This group exhibits hydrophilic properties due to its ability to form favorable interactions with polar or charged molecules, such as water. Hydrophilic groups are typically composed of atoms such as oxygen or nitrogen, which have high electronegativity and can readily participate in hydrogen bonding with water molecules.
The presence of hydrophilic groups in a molecule or compound helps it to dissolve or disperse in water or other polar solvents. This is because water molecules are highly polar, with a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms and a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom. Hydrophilic groups can interact with the water molecules through electrostatic attractions or hydrogen bonding, which leads to the solubility or miscibility of the compound in water.
Common examples of hydrophilic groups include hydroxyl (-OH) groups found in alcohols, carboxyl (-COOH) groups found in organic acids, amino (-NH2) groups found in amines, and carbonyl (C=O) groups found in ketones and aldehydes. These groups enhance the solubility of compounds in water and are crucial in biological processes, as they facilitate the transportation of substances through aqueous environments, enable the formation of hydrogen bonds between molecules, and contribute to the stability of macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids.
Common Misspellings for HYDROPHILIC GROUP
- gydrophilic group
- bydrophilic group
- nydrophilic group
- jydrophilic group
- uydrophilic group
- yydrophilic group
- htdrophilic group
- hgdrophilic group
- hhdrophilic group
- hudrophilic group
- h7drophilic group
- h6drophilic group
- hysrophilic group
- hyxrophilic group
- hycrophilic group
- hyfrophilic group
- hyrrophilic group
- hyerophilic group
- hydeophilic group
- hyddophilic group
Etymology of HYDROPHILIC GROUP
The word "hydrophilic" is derived from two Greek words: "hydro" meaning water, and "philos" meaning loving or attracting. In chemistry, "hydrophilic" describes a substance or a group of atoms that has an affinity for water and tends to mix or dissolve in it. The term "group" in this context refers to a specific arrangement of atoms that possess hydrophilic properties. So, the term "hydrophilic group" essentially indicates a collection of atoms or functional groups in a molecule that has an affinity for water.
