Glossary - H

hemoglobin

The iron-containing, reddish blood protein that temporarily binds oxygen and releases it into the tissues.

Responsible for the reddish color of human blood.

hexatic

A phase which has less symmetry than the tethered phase but more symmetry than the fluid phase.

A phase characterized by the presence of six-fold orientational order (i.e. a coordination number equal to six for all vertices) but the absence of translational order (as found in crystal lattices - where by moving along special axes the entire lattice can be reproduced).

hydrophilic

`water-loving', typically polar molecules or parts of molecules are hydrophilic as they are attracted to water molecules which are polar. Compare hydrophobic.

hydrophillic repulsion

The actual nature of the repulsive is very complex. It can be naively understood as the cumulative effect of effect of electrostatic, hydration and steric interactions.

hydrophobic

`water-hating', typically non-polar molecules or parts of molecules are hydrophobic as they are not attracted to water molecules which are polar. Compare hydrophilic.