HYDROPHOBIC EFFECT Meaning and
Definition
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The hydrophobic effect refers to the phenomenon in which nonpolar molecules or groups tend to aggregate or cluster together in aqueous solutions. It arises from the natural tendency of water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with each other, leading to the exclusion or repulsion of nonpolar substances.
In aqueous environments, water molecules form a network of hydrogen bonds with each other due to their polar nature. This results in a highly ordered structure known as the hydration shell around polar or charged molecules. However, nonpolar molecules or hydrophobic groups lack the charge or polarity necessary for this type of interaction with water. As a consequence, water molecules surrounding hydrophobic substances are less effectively hydrogen-bonded and exhibit lower entropy compared to bulk water. To minimize these unfavorable interactions, hydrophobic molecules or groups tend to aggregate or cluster together, reducing the number of exposed nonpolar surfaces.
This phenomenon is of great importance in a variety of biological processes such as protein folding, protein-ligand interactions, and lipid bilayer formation. For instance, during protein folding, the hydrophobic amino acid side chains tend to be buried within the protein core to minimize their interaction with water. Similarly, hydrophobic interactions influence the assembly of lipid molecules into bilayers, stabilizing cell membranes.
Overall, the hydrophobic effect is a fundamental principle in chemistry and biology, driving the organization and assembly of molecules in aqueous environments.
Common Misspellings for HYDROPHOBIC EFFECT
- gydrophobic effect
- bydrophobic effect
- nydrophobic effect
- jydrophobic effect
- uydrophobic effect
- yydrophobic effect
- htdrophobic effect
- hgdrophobic effect
- hhdrophobic effect
- hudrophobic effect
- h7drophobic effect
- h6drophobic effect
- hysrophobic effect
- hyxrophobic effect
- hycrophobic effect
- hyfrophobic effect
- hyrrophobic effect
- hyerophobic effect
- hydeophobic effect
- hyddophobic effect
Etymology of HYDROPHOBIC EFFECT
The word "hydrophobic" is derived from two Greek roots: "hydro" meaning "water", and "phobia" meaning "fear" or "aversion". Therefore, "hydrophobic" literally means "fear of water" or "water-repelling".
The term "hydrophobic effect" was coined by the physical chemist Peter J. W. Debye in 1913 to describe the nonpolar substances' behavior in an aqueous environment. The hydrophobic effect refers to the characteristic behavior of nonpolar molecules or hydrophobic regions within molecules when they interact with water.
When nonpolar molecules or regions encounter water, the water molecules form a highly ordered structure around them. This ordering disrupts the hydrogen bonding network of water, which requires the movement of water molecules to accommodate the hydrophobic entity.
