Question

Gelatin gels can hold large amounts of water because:

a. Gelatin peptides form numerous electrostatic/ionic interactions with water

b.   Gelatin peptides form numerous covalent bonds with water

c. Gelatin peptides form numerous hydrophobic interactions with water

d.   Gelatin peptides form numerous peptide bonds with water

please explain. thanks

Answer 1

Gelatin gels can hold large amounts of water because:

c. Gelatin peptides form numerous hydrophobic interactions with water

* Hydrophobic interactions describe the relations between water and hydrophobes (low water-soluble molecules). Hydrophobes are nonpolar molecules and usually have a long chain of carbons that do not interact with water molecules . Some parts of hydrophobes make hydrogen bonds with water that is call hydrophobic interaction.

* In warm water, all of the water molecules are happily bouncing around. Add in some gelatin, and the gelatin will dissolve in the water, while the water molecules stay in motion. But as the water cools, the molecules slow down and start to bond weakly to the hydrogen on the gelatin chains. On each chain, there can be hundreds of these hydrogen branches sticking out, each of which could bond with a water molecule.