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Dictionary » P » Polarity

Polarity

Definition

noun

(1) The presence of or having distinct and opposite poles

(2) The condition of having contrasting properties or direction

(3) (chemistry) The tendency of forming distinctive opposing charges based on the orientation of chemical bonds and spatial structure of the molecule


Supplement

(Chemistry) Polarity confers molecules and compounds distinctive features in terms of structure and chemical interaction with other molecules. Water is a polar molecule. Polarity enables water to interact with various compounds.

(Biology) Polarity is also an essential and common feature in organisms, particularly at the cell level. Examples of polarity manifested in a cell or group of cells are as follows:


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bile salts properties

Polarity has nothing to do with charge

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by JackBean
Wed Mar 14, 2012 10:03 am
 
Forum: Human Biology
Topic: bile salts properties
Replies: 8
Views: 5414

plants' intelligence (neurosensing)

... this today. It is very interesting. For what purpose did it evolve? I figure, flow of electrons through air or surfaces can disturb plant cell's polarity (ion gradient), so the plant has some information about electrical particles in its environment. Okay, this is useful. What about your ideas? ...

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by biba56
Wed Feb 08, 2012 11:50 am
 
Forum: Botany Discussion
Topic: plants' intelligence (neurosensing)
Replies: 3
Views: 1350

Re: Isopropanol, Water, and RNA Stability

Ahhh fail! Thanks for your reply! But in that case, it doesn't really actually have to do with the polarity, does it? It has to do with the pKA of the substances involved. Isopropanol, as an alcohol, has a pKa of around 16; water has a pKa of 15.7. So water is very slightly ...

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by cw11
Tue Nov 29, 2011 1:44 am
 
Forum: Molecular Biology
Topic: Isopropanol, Water, and RNA Stability
Replies: 3
Views: 1536

Isopropanol, Water, and RNA Stability

... ready to use it). What is the chemical/biological basis for the increased stability of RNA in isopropanol? I assume it has to do with the higher polarity of isopropanol relative to water?

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by cw11
Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:15 pm
 
Forum: Molecular Biology
Topic: Isopropanol, Water, and RNA Stability
Replies: 3
Views: 1536

Re: Lipofectin/Labfectin lethality towards insect cells

... mechanism for the cells dying; but i would suggest that puncturing holes in the cell to get the DNA in is going to lead to a loss of membrane polarity, and this alone would make the cells sick; depending on how hardy they are, and how well you can look after them will depend on how likely ...

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by merv
Sun Oct 02, 2011 4:21 pm
 
Forum: Molecular Biology
Topic: Lipofectin/Labfectin lethality towards insect cells
Replies: 5
Views: 4283
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