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Related Concept Videos

Adhesion01:14

Adhesion

44.3K
Adhesion occurs when one type of molecule is attracted to a different molecule. Water exhibits adhesive properties in the presence of polar surfaces, such as glass or cellulose in plants. For instance, when water is poured into a glass, the positively charged hydrogen molecules of water are more attracted to the negatively charged oxygen molecules in the silica than to the oxygen in neighboring water molecules.
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow...
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Nuclear Stability03:18

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Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
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Protein-protein Interfaces02:04

Protein-protein Interfaces

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Many proteins form complexes to carry out their functions, making protein-protein interactions (PPIs) essential for an organism's survival. Most PPIs are stabilized by numerous weak noncovalent chemical forces. The physical shape of the interfaces determines the way two proteins interact. Many globular proteins have closely-matching shapes on their surfaces, which form a large number of weak bonds. Additionally, many PPIs occur between two helices or between a surface cleft and a...
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RNA Stability01:53

RNA Stability

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Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
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Intermolecular vs Intramolecular Forces03:00

Intermolecular vs Intramolecular Forces

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Intermolecular forces (IMF) are electrostatic attractions arising from charge-charge interactions between molecules. The strength of the intermolecular force is influenced by the distance of separation between molecules. The forces significantly affect the interactions in solids and liquids, where the molecules are close together. In gases, IMFs become important only under high-pressure conditions (due to the proximity of gas molecules). Intermolecular forces dictate the physical properties of...
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Investigating Single Molecule Adhesion by Atomic Force Spectroscopy
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Adhesion, forces and the stability of interfaces.

Robin Guttmann1, Johannes Hoja1,2, Christoph Lechner1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, University of Graz, Heinrichstrasse 28, 8010 Graz, Austria.

Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry
|January 26, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Dispersion interactions are crucial for system stability, often overlooked in favor of "special interactions." This study highlights their importance in various systems, showing energy and force descriptions of stability are not equivalent.

Keywords:
adhesion energyadhesive forcedispersion interactionweak molecular interaction

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Area of Science:

  • Physical Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Supramolecular Chemistry

Background:

  • Weak molecular interactions (WMI) govern crucial phenomena like physisorption, interface stability, and bulk properties of condensed matter.
  • WMIs comprise electrostatics, induction, dispersion, and exchange repulsion, with dispersion often neglected in favor of electrostatic explanations.
  • Special interactions like hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions are commonly invoked but are manifestations of fundamental WMIs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To re-evaluate the significance of dispersion interactions in stabilizing systems traditionally explained by 'special interactions'.
  • To investigate the relationship between system stabilization described by interaction energies versus attractive forces (adhesion energies and adhesive forces).
  • To demonstrate that adhesion energies and maximum adhesive forces are not equivalent metrics for system stability.

Main Methods:

  • Computational analysis of interaction energies and forces in model systems.
  • Focus on systems including polyaromatic molecules on carbon surfaces, alcohol/amine dimers, cellulose crystals, and adsorbed alcohols.

Main Results:

  • Dispersion interactions play a vital role in the stabilization of diverse chemical and material systems.
  • The study provides a unified perspective on WMIs, emphasizing the fundamental contribution of dispersion.
  • A key finding is the non-equivalence of stability descriptions based on adhesion energies versus maximum adhesive forces.

Conclusions:

  • Dispersion interactions are fundamental to understanding system stability, challenging traditional attributions to 'special interactions'.
  • The distinction between energy-based and force-based stability metrics is critical for accurate WMI analysis.
  • This work underscores the need to incorporate dispersion forces comprehensively in chemical and materials science.