Hydrophobic意思

"Hydrophobic" is a term derived from Greek words "hydro" meaning water and "phobos" meaning fear, avoidance, or aversion. It refers to the physical property of a molecule or substance that repels water. In other words, hydrophobic substances have an aversion to water and do not mix with it.

In the context of chemistry and biology, hydrophobic molecules or regions tend to aggregate together in an aqueous environment to avoid contact with water. This is because water molecules are polar, meaning they have a positive and a negative end, and they form hydrogen bonds with each other. Hydrophobic molecules, which are typically non-polar, do not have a strong ability to form hydrogen bonds with water and thus tend to clump together.

In biological systems, hydrophobic interactions are crucial for the structure and function of many molecules, including proteins and lipids. For example, the hydrophobic core of a protein is shielded from water, and the hydrophobic tails of lipid molecules in a cell membrane are oriented towards each other, forming a barrier that separates the interior of the cell from its external environment.