I've read in a textbook on biophysics that chondroitin sulfate occupies a greater volume in a solution than in crystalline form. Why is that?
Is it because of hydrogen bonds in solution that the volume is larger?
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1 Answer
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In solution, the negative charges on the chondroitin sulfate repel each other and force the molecule into an extended conformation. The polar molecule attracts many water molecules, which increases its molecular volume. In the dehydrated solid, each negative charge is counterbalanced by a positive ion, and the molecule is condensed.