Chaotropic activity refers to the ability of certain substances to disrupt the structure of water and other solvents, leading to an increase in the solubility of molecules that are normally poorly soluble. The term "chaotropic agent" typically describes chemical compounds that decrease the order of water molecules, effectively increasing the disorder (or chaos) in the system. This can affect the stability of biological molecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, by denaturing them or altering their conformations.
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