Forces between Molecules and between Chemical Groups.

The structure of living cells depends very much on the covalent bonds within individual molecules and on covalent crosslinks that sometimes form between molecules. However, weaker forces acting between molecules and between different parts of the same molecule are responsible for many of the most important properties of biochemical substances. These
are described as van der Waals forces, electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonds, and hydrophobic interactions. In the discussion that follows the thermodynamic quantities ∆H, ∆S, and ∆G will be used.