Biochemistry chapter 2

Brownian motion

movement of molecules powered by
random fluctuations of environmental energy

Water is a polar molecule

oxygen atom carrying a slightly negative charge and
the hydrogen atoms carrying slightly positive charges.

polarity of water

formation of hydrogen bonds between water molecules and
accounts for the cohesiveness of water.accounts for its ability to dissolve many important biochemicals
inability of water to dissolve nonpolar molecules results in an important organizing principle
called the hydrophobic effect.

Electrostatic interactions

ionic bonds or salt
bridges, are the interactions between distinct electrical
charges on atoms

energy of an electrostatic interaction between two
charges is given by Coulomb’s law

e=kq1 q2/DR e = energy q1 and q2 charges of ion d dielectric constant r distance between two ions k is proportionality constant