Hotdropper
Hotdropper t1_jbtdnok wrote
Reply to What exactly is going on when a protein (or other molecule) binds with a receptor? by Eat-A-Torus
The best model I’ve come up for it, is to imagine how helpful it would be if locks attracted the key that could be used to unlock them.
Because the scales are so small, the charge amounts for the attraction and repulsions are minute, but real.
Granted, I’m self taught on all of this, so there will likely be objections to this simplification, but at the end of the day, it’s all about moving electrons around.
Hotdropper t1_jc0rs2a wrote
Reply to comment by Sable-Keech in As they still have a neutral charge, can antineutrons replace neutrons in a regular atom? by Oheligud
Quantum chromodynamics is the answer here, I believe.
Essentially, the proton and neutron in a hydrogen atom (or any atom) aren’t static.
They are constantly swapping roles back and forth, the proton losing some energy and turning into a neutron, and the neutron then picking up that shed energy and turning into a proton.