BCH 261 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Cell Membrane, Lysosome, Glycogen

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The attractive forces between water molecules & the slight tendency of water to ionize are of crucial importance to structure and function of biomolecules. Hydrogen bonds between water molecules provide cohesive forces that make water a liquid at room temperature (3. 4 hydrogen bonds per water molecule) Favored is the extreme ordering of molecules typical crystalline water (ice). Polar biomolecules dissolve readily in water because they can replace water-water interactions with more energetically favorable water-solute interactions. Non-polar biomolecules interfere with water-water interactions but are unable to form water- solute interactions therefore nonpolar molecules are poorly soluble in water. In aqueous solutions nonpolar molecules tend to cluster together. Hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, hydrophobic & van der waals interactions are individually weak, but collectively have significant influence on the three-dimensional structures of proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides & membrane lipids. Water has higher melting point, boiling point, and heat of vaporization than most other common solvents (table 2 1).

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