Question

Water's ability to dissolve a wide variety of molecules is important, but more important is the hydrophobic effect, which drives the aggregation of nonpolar molecules and plays a role in the folding of proteins and formation of lipid bilayers. What forces drive the hydrophobic effect?

Answer 1

Answer and explanation;

The hydrophobic effect is the observed tendency of non-polar substances to aggregate in an aqueous solution and exclude water molecules. Hydrophobic interaction is mostly an entropic effect originating from the disruption of highly dynamic hydrogen bonds between molecules of liquid water by the non-polar solute.

Introduction of such a non-hydrogen bonding surface into water causes disruption of the hydrogen bonding network between water molecules.

Water dissolves molecules (proteins and nucleic acids) that display on their solvent-accessible surfaces groups that can h-bond [hydroxyl, carbonyl, ester groups; they're polar uncharged...also charged groups; protonated amines, carboxylates and phosphate ethers.

Molecules with internal h-bonds dissolve in water, some/all internal h-bonds may be in dynamic exchange with h-bonds in water .

Polar nature of water contributes to ability to dissolve non-ionic polar organic molecules, such as phenols, esters, amides; have large dipole moments and interaction with water dipole promotes solubility in water.

Answer 2

Answer:

The correct answer is increase in entropy of water molecules.

Explanation:

The hydrophobic effect is illustrated as the capability of the non-polar molecules to cluster together or self-assemble excluding the water. The interaction between the non-polar molecule and water are not favorable. The water gets discharged from the non-polar surface and develops a hydrophobic effect.  

The hydrophobic effect makes the hydrogen bonding of water to become reoriented and resulting in an increase in the entropy of water molecules surrounding the solvation shell. The mobility of the water molecules enhances due to the development of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the molecules of water. Thus, the hydrophobic effect is mediated by an enhancement in the entropy of water molecules.