Question

List and describe the four forces acting on amino acids placed in water.

Answer 1

The four forces acting on amino acids in water are ionic bonding, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and van der Waals forces.

Step-by-step explanation:

When amino acids are placed in water, four forces act on them: ionic bonding, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and van der Waals forces.

1. Ionic bonding: This occurs when there are electrostatic attractions between positively and negatively charged side chains of amino acids.
2. Hydrogen bonding: It forms between highly electronegative atoms (such as oxygen or nitrogen) and hydrogen atoms attached to other electronegative atoms.
3. Hydrophobic interactions: Hydrophobic amino acids aggregate together, away from water, forming a force of attraction between each other and a force of repulsion from water.
4. Van der Waals forces: These are weak attractive forces that arise between hydrophobic amino acids due to temporary fluctuations in electron distribution.

Answer 2

Group 1 (non-polar. hydrophobic)Group 2 (polar, uncharged)Group 3 (acidic)Group4 (basic)