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Hydrophobic molecules avoid water. Strictly speaking, they do not attract water, and therefore water will avoid them, since it is more attracted to other molecules or to itself.

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12y ago

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Molecules that avoid water are called?

Hydrophobic.


What is the similarities of hydrophillic and hydrophobic?

it is the opposite. Hydrophobic is water hating, hydrophilic is water loving. ie, hydrophobic substances avoid water, hydrophilic are attracted


Do hydrophobic tails on phospholipids try to aviod water or be near water?

They avoid water. (The word "hydrophobic" literally means "water-fearing" :D )


What kind of molecules are water fearing?

Water-fearing molecules are called hydrophobic molecules. They tend to be non-polar and do not interact well with water due to their lack of charge or polarity. As a result, hydrophobic molecules tend to cluster together to minimize contact with water molecules.


Why can hydrophobic molecules cross the membrane?

Hydrophobic molecules can cross the cell membrane because the membrane is made up of a double layer of lipids, which are also hydrophobic. This allows hydrophobic molecules to pass through the membrane easily, while hydrophilic molecules have a harder time crossing.


Can small hydrophobic molecules cross the cell membrane?

Yes, small hydrophobic molecules can cross the cell membrane.


Is tryptophan hydrophobic and how does this property affect its interactions with other molecules?

Yes, tryptophan is hydrophobic, meaning it repels water. This property affects its interactions with other molecules by causing it to preferentially interact with other hydrophobic molecules, such as other hydrophobic amino acids or nonpolar solvents, rather than with water molecules.


Do hydrophobic molecules cross cell membranes?

Yes, hydrophobic molecules can cross cell membranes because cell membranes are made up of a phospholipid bilayer that is permeable to nonpolar molecules like hydrophobic ones.


Is O2 hydrophobic?

Yes, O2 (oxygen gas) is not considered hydrophobic. It is a nonpolar molecule and does not interact strongly with water molecules, making it more soluble in water compared to hydrophobic molecules.


Can hydrophobic molecules pass through a membrane?

Yes, hydrophobic molecules can pass through a membrane because the lipid bilayer of the membrane is also hydrophobic, allowing them to move through easily.


Does nonpolar means hydrophobic or hydrophilic?

Nonpolar molecules are typically hydrophobic, meaning they do not mix well with water. This is because water is a polar molecule and tends to interact more strongly with other polar molecules. Hydrophobic molecules generally prefer to interact with each other instead of with water.


What is hydrophobic and how do you determine if a molecule is hydrophobic?

Hydrophobic describes molecules that are repelled by water. You can determine if a molecule is hydrophobic by looking at its structure - if it contains mostly nonpolar covalent bonds or hydrophobic functional groups (e.g. alkyl groups), it is likely to be hydrophobic. Additionally, hydrophobic molecules tend to aggregate together in water due to the hydrophobic effect.