The Biology Project: Biochemistry

Chemistry Tutorial

Problem 11: Weak interactions to strong interactions

The binding between a specific antibody and a virus is very tight. If the forces that allow interactions between molecules are said to be weak, how can electrostatic attractions, hydrogen bonds, van der Waals bonds and hydrophobic attractions lead to a very strong interaction?

A. The structure of the antibody allows the formation of a large number of weak interactions.
B. Weak interaction is the precursor to the formation of covalent bonds.
C.The weak forces lead to condensation reactions converting the interaction to a very tight bond.
D. The electrostatic attractions become very strong once water is excluded from the bound molecules.


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Wednesday, June 4, 1997
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