In: Biology
An effective measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is to thoroughly wash our hands with soap and water. What is the biological basis underlying soap’s ability to kill the virus? (Hint: think about the 4 major biomolecules and the action of soap.)
Question :
An effective measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is to thoroughly wash our hand with soap and water. What is the biological basis underlying soap's ability to kill the virus?
Answer with explanation is given below:
The COVID 19 virius consists of ribonucleic acid (RNA), protains and lipids.
The COVID 19 virus get their name 'corona' surrounding the virus has a membrane of oily lipid molecules which is studded with protein spikes, which are responsible for infecting the host are achored into the virus membrane.
Soap have a hybrid structure, with a head (hydrophilic/lipophobic) that attache to water and a tail (hydrophobic/lipophilic) that avoid water, bond with pil and fat.
The head ( hydrophilic) helps the soap mix with the water and tail mix with other hydrophobic molecules like protein.The hydrophobic tails of soap molecules can breaks interaction between lipid molecules in the COVID 19 virus.Then the soap molecules surround virus fragments with all tails. This cluster is called micelle. The hydrophobic heads allow the micelle to be washed down.So, when you wash your hands, all the viruses are trapped and killed by soap molecules are washed away. Thus, soap and water together effectively dissolve the virul bond and break the interaction between the virus and the skin surface.