And one of the more important noncovalent bonds are the hydrogen bonds that exist between those adjacent bases found on the two opposing nucleic acids. Now, what happens once we break break those hydrogen bonds? Well, if we break the hydrogen bonds and these hydrogen bonds hold the two nucleic acids together then that double helix structure will begin to break because as the H bonds break the two strands of DNA will begin to dissociate. Now, in a laboratory setting we can cause the dissociation of these two strands by one of two ways. Usually one of two ways. We can either increase or decrease the PH of our solution that contains the DNA molecule.