How is a polar compound related to hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions?

1 Answer
Dr. Hayek
Sep 19, 2015

Similar to Like dissolves Like

Explanation:

For a substance the be hydrophobic (fears water) or hydrophilic (likes water) we should like at the type of interaction that can carry with water.

For example, ethanol is hydrophilic because it can carry H-bond, dipole-dipole and London dispersion force (LDF) with water. In addition to the fact that ethanol is a polar molecule.

Another example is hexane, which is an apolar molecule, it can carry only LDF interactions which are weak interactions and therefore, hydrophobic.

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