HYDROGEN BOND DEFINITION

A hydrogen bond is a type of attractive (dipole-dipole) interaction between an electronegative atom and
a hydrogen atom bonded to another electronegative atom. This bond always involves a hydrogen atom.
Hydrogen bonds can occur between molecules or within parts of a single molecule.

A hydrogen bond tends to be stronger than van der Waals forces, but weaker than covalent bonds or
ionic bonds.

It is about 1/20th (5%) the strength of the covalent bond formed between O-H. However, even this weak
bond is strong enough to withstand slight temperature fluctuation.

EXAMPLES OF HYDROGEN BONDS

Hydrogen bonds are found in nucleic acids between base pairs and between water molecules. This type
of bond also forms between hydrogen and carbon atoms of different chloroform molecules, between
hydrogen and nitrogen atoms of neighboring ammonia molecules, between repeating subunits in the
polymer nylon, and between hydrogen and oxygen in acetylacetone. Many organic molecules are subject
to hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen bond:

help bind transcription factors to DNA

aid antigen-antibody binding

organize polypeptides into secondary structures, such as alpha helix and beta sheet

hold together the two strands of DNA

bind transcription factors to each other

HYDROGEN BONDING IN WATER

Although hydrogen bonds form between hydrogen and any other electronegative atom, the bonds
within water are the most ubiquitous (and some would argue, the most important).

Hydrogen bonds form between neighboring water molecules when the hydrogen of one atom comes
between the oxygen atoms of its own molecule and that of its neighbor. This happens because the
hydrogen atom is attracted to both its own oxygen and other oxygen atoms that come close enough. The
oxygen nucleus has 8 "plus" charges, so it attracts electrons better than the hydrogen nucleus, with its
single positive charge.