In a DNA molecule, the base pair adenine and thymine is held...

Name: Problem 20, Chapter 16: Physics
Uploaded: 2021-11-21T23:07:19-08:00
Duration: 6 min 24 s
Channel: Debra Mangion
Description: In a DNA molecule, the base pair adenine and thymine is held together by two hydrogen bonds (see Fig. 16.5 ). Let's model one of these hydrogen bonds as four point charges arranged along a straight line. Using the information in the figure, calculate the magnitude of the net electric force exerted by one base on the other.

In a DNA molecule, the base pair adenine and thymine is held together by two hydrogen bonds (see Fig. 16.5 ). Let's model one of these hydrogen bonds as four point charges arranged along a straight line. Using the information in the figure, calculate the magnitude of the net electric force exerted by one base on the other.

Key Concepts

Superposition Principle

The superposition principle states that the total electric force on a charge is the vector sum of the individual forces exerted by other charges. In problems involving multiple interactions, such as the forces in a hydrogen bond modeled by several point charges, this principle allows for the calculation of a net force by summing the contributions from each charge separately.

Hydrogen Bonding

Hydrogen bonding is a type of weak chemical bond that occurs when a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an electronegative atom interacts with another electronegative atom. Although it is a relatively weak interaction compared to covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds play a crucial role in the structure and stability of biological molecules like DNA.

Point Charge Model

The point charge model is a simplification that treats charged particles as if all of their charge were concentrated at a single point. This approximation is particularly useful for calculating interactions in more complex structures like molecules, where the spatial arrangement of charges can be modeled to facilitate analytical computations.

Coulomb's Law

Coulomb's Law describes the electric force between two point charges. It states that the magnitude of the force is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This relationship is essential for calculating forces in systems where individual charges interact, such as in molecular models.

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