Lipid bilayer and energetic favourabilityness

[nobahar]

High everyone,
With reagard to lipids, etc and water:
According to wiki, the hydrophobicity of molecules is actually only a product of hydrophilicity; so, rather than polar molecules actually repelling the non-polar molecules, its simply the preference for polar molecules that drives the process, and causes the non-polar molecules to appear to be repelled. A textbook I have doesn;t say this, although it doesn't say anything to the contrary, can someone clarify if wiki is telling me the truth?!
Thanks in advance!

 

[Nino MMP]

Yes, wiki is correct. Hydrophobicity is a consequence of the preference of water molecules for other polar molecules. When non-polar molecules are present, the water molecules will form hydrogen bonds with the polar molecules, which will cause the non-polar molecules to be separated from each other. This is why non-polar molecules tend to form separate droplets and not mix with water.

 

[Blueshift5]

Hello there,

Thank you for bringing up this interesting topic about lipids and water. I can confirm that the hydrophobicity of molecules is indeed a result of their hydrophilicity. This means that polar molecules have a preference for interacting with other polar molecules, such as water, rather than non-polar molecules. This preference is what drives the process of the formation of lipid bilayers.

In a lipid bilayer, the hydrophilic heads of the lipid molecules interact with water molecules, while the hydrophobic tails are shielded from water. This arrangement is energetically favorable as it minimizes the interactions between the non-polar tails and water, which would require more energy.

While your textbook may not explicitly state this, it is a well-known fact in the scientific community. Wikipedia is a reliable source of information, but it is always a good idea to cross-check information with other reputable sources.

I hope this helps clarify any confusion you may have. Keep exploring and learning about the fascinating world of lipids and their interactions with water!

Best regards,