Hydrophobic effect

Hydrophobic Effect

The Hydrophobic Effect (pronounced: hy-dro-pho-bic ef-fect) is a fundamental principle in the field of biochemistry and physical chemistry. The term originates from the Greek words 'hydro' meaning water, and 'phobos' meaning fear, thus translating to 'fear of water'.

Definition

The Hydrophobic Effect refers to the observed tendency of nonpolar substances to aggregate in aqueous solution and exclude water molecules. This phenomenon plays a crucial role in various biological processes, including the formation of cell membranes and the folding of proteins.

Mechanism

The Hydrophobic Effect is primarily attributed to the entropy increase that occurs when hydrophobic substances are segregated from water molecules. This segregation leads to a decrease in the system's total energy, making the process spontaneous.

Applications

The Hydrophobic Effect has significant implications in numerous biological and chemical processes. It is fundamental to the structure and function of proteins, the formation of lipid bilayers, and the binding of substrates to enzymes.

Related Terms

Hydrophilic: Refers to substances that have an affinity for water.
Lipophilic: Refers to the ability of a chemical compound to dissolve in fats, oils, lipids, and non-polar solvents.
Amphipathic: Refers to molecules having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts.