Homework Help: physics

Posted by aly on Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 12:55am.

The physics of the DNA molecule.

The two strands of the DNA molecule are held together by electrostatic forces. There are four bases which make up the DNA molecule, thymine (T), adenine (A), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). In two of the bases, thymine and adenine, an oxide ion with a single negative charge (O-) from the thymine base is attracted to a hydrogen ion (H+) from the adenine ion. The distance between the two ions is 28.0 nm. Note that the oxide ion
has a charge equivalent to a negative elementary charge and the hydrogen ion is equivalent to a positive elementary charge.
a) What is the strength of the electrostatic force between these two ions?
b) What is the direction of the force exerted on the oxide ion by the hydrogen ion?
(Assume that the oxide ion is to the right of the hydrogen ion.)
c) How many hydrogen ions would it take to equal the amount of charge contained in a lightning bolt, 25 coulombs?

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