Conformação

Conformação is a Portuguese term that designates the act or result of conforming, forming, or arranging something into a particular shape, form, or configuration. The word originates from Latin conformatio, formed by con- (together) and forma (shape).

In chemistry, conformation refers to the spatial arrangement of a molecule’s atoms that can be interconverted by rotations around single bonds. Different arrangements are called conformers or rotamers, and they may have distinct energies and properties. The field of conformational analysis studies how these shapes influence reactivity, stability, and interactions with other molecules, including biological targets.

In biology and biochemistry, conformation describes the three-dimensional structure of biomolecules, especially proteins and nucleic acids. A protein’s function is closely tied to its conformation, which can change during folding, binding events, or environmental shifts. Abnormal or unstable conformations are central to several diseases, as in cases of misfolding or aggregation.

In geology, conformação is used to refer to the arrangement or formation of rock layers and structures. It can describe how strata are organized in space, though formal stratigraphic units are usually called formações geológicas, and the contacts between layers may be described as conformities or unconformities depending on their depositional history.

In social and cultural contexts, conformação can appear in discussions of how individuals or groups adopt standard forms or norms to fit a given setting. More common terms for this usage are conformidade or conformismo.

Overall, conformação serves as a cross-disciplinary term for the idea of shaping, arrangement, or structural state, with domain-specific nuances in science and society.