What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Detergent vs Amphipathic - What's the difference?

detergent | amphipathic |

As adjectives the difference between detergent and amphipathic

is that detergent is having the power to clean while amphipathic is (chemistry) describing a molecule, such as a detergent, which has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups.

As a noun detergent

is any non-soap cleaning agent, especially a synthetic surfactant.

detergent

English

Noun

(wikipedia detergent) (en noun)
  • Any non-soap cleaning agent, especially a synthetic surfactant.

    • Related terms

    * surfactant

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having the power to clean.

    • amphipathic

    English

    (wikipedia amphipathic)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (chemistry) describing a molecule, such as a detergent, which has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups.
  • (biochemistry) often refers to the surface(s) on a protein, particularly an alpha helix, where one surface of the alpha helix has hydrophilic amino acids and the opposite face has hydrophobic (or lipophilic) amino acids.

    • See also

    * amphiprotic * amphoteric * surfactant