- #1
phoebz
- 19
- 0
Hello,
I am taking a biochemistry course right now, and I am so confused by this 'hydrophobic effect' and how it relates to entropy.
Hydrophobic effect: THe exclusion of hydrophobic groups or molecules by water. (I get this part!) This appears to depend of the increase in entropy of solvent water molecules that are released from an ordered arrangement around the hydrophobic group. (I don't get this part)
From what I have gathered, entropy is the amount of unavailable energy in a system. If hydrophobic molecules clump together because it is more energetically favourable (the solvent doesn't have to cover as much surface area)- why would entropy increase?
And if you say entropy is the amount of disorder in a system- again, why would there be more disorder after the hydrophobic molecules clump together? I though this was more ordered.
I am taking a biochemistry course right now, and I am so confused by this 'hydrophobic effect' and how it relates to entropy.
Hydrophobic effect: THe exclusion of hydrophobic groups or molecules by water. (I get this part!) This appears to depend of the increase in entropy of solvent water molecules that are released from an ordered arrangement around the hydrophobic group. (I don't get this part)
From what I have gathered, entropy is the amount of unavailable energy in a system. If hydrophobic molecules clump together because it is more energetically favourable (the solvent doesn't have to cover as much surface area)- why would entropy increase?
And if you say entropy is the amount of disorder in a system- again, why would there be more disorder after the hydrophobic molecules clump together? I though this was more ordered.