The hydrophobic effect
The main thermodynamic driving force for burying nonpolar side chains inside a folded protein is:
Answer D: explanation for every choice
A
Nonpolar side chains associate through weak interactions, not covalent bonds.
B
Folding decreases the chain's entropy, which works against folding.
C
Nonpolar side chains can't form hydrogen bonds.
D
Correct. Water forms ordered cages around exposed nonpolar groups. Burying those groups releases the water, increasing its entropy.
TakeawayThe hydrophobic effect is driven by the entropy of water.
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Reviewed 2026-11-05 by a medical student. Spot an error? Report it with question ID bb105.