zwitterious

Zwitterious is a term used in chemistry to describe a molecule that contains both acidic and basic functional groups. The term is derived from the German word "zwitter," which means "hybrid." Zwitterions are a specific type of zwitterious molecule that have a net charge of zero but possess both positive and negative charges within the same molecule.

The most well-known example of a zwitterion is glycine, the simplest amino acid. In glycine, the amino group (NH2) is positively charged, while the carboxyl group (COOH) is negatively charged. Despite these charges, the molecule as a whole is electrically neutral because the positive and negative charges are balanced.

Zwitterions are important in various biological and chemical processes. They play a crucial role in the structure and function of proteins and nucleic acids. In biological systems, zwitterions can influence the solubility and stability of molecules, as well as their interactions with other molecules.

The zwitterious nature of molecules can also affect their physical properties, such as solubility in water and their behavior in electric fields. Understanding the zwitterious nature of molecules is essential for studying their behavior in chemical reactions and biological systems.