L18-23: Biophysics Flashcards
Why is water useful in chemical reaction?
As it is a universal solvent
What are the properties of water?
Universal solvent
Polar
How does water being dipolar suggest function?
Allows it to form hydrogen bonds with itself and other molecules
Why is water a good universal solvent?
As it dissolves more substances than any other liquid
What type of bonding does water have?
Hydrogen bonding
How is water polar?
Due to delta negative oxygen and delta positive hydrogen
Is waters boiling point a lot higher or lower in comparison to other hydrogen bound molecules?
Higher
What determines solubility in water?
Small ionic compounds
Some large biological molecules dependent on the R group (more polar/charged R group= more soluble)
What are examples of polar and charged functional groups that are soluble in water?
Polar:
Alcohol, thiol, carbonyl, ester and amide
Charged:
Amino, carboxyl and phosphate
What is the name of apolar molecules?
Hydrophobic
How does hydrophobicity impact proteins?
It can influence protein folding
(hydrophobic face inwards hydrophilic outwards)
What are amphipathic molecules?
Molecules with hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas (eg phospholipids)
What is the difference between smaller and larger particles moving in Brownian motion?
Small= faster
Larger= slower
What is diffusion?
The net flux of molecules down a concentration gradient due to random thermal motion
What is flux across a membrane?
The difference in concentration based on the permeability of the membrane
