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BIO NMDCAT Biological Importance of Water
nmdcat.online June 27, 2026

The main reason that water is an ineffective solvent for highly non-polar molecules, such as triglycerides, is that

A. Water molecules cannot overcome the strong covalent bonds within the lipid
B. Dissolving a non-polar solute requires the water to form highly ordered, low-entropy structures around it, which is thermodynamically unfavorable
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C. Water's high surface tension physically repels the lipid molecules
D. Non-polar molecules have a higher density than water, causing them to settle at the bottom

📝 Explanation

The dissolution of non-polar molecules in water would require water to form highly organized clathrate cages around them, causing a significant decrease in the system's entropy (ΔS < 0). This makes the process thermodynamically unfavorable, resulting in the hydrophobic effect and phase separation.

📖 Additional Information

  • Water molecules cannot overcome the strong covalent bonds within the lipid
  • Dissolving a non-polar solute requires the water to form highly ordered, low-entropy structures around it, which is thermodynamically unfavorable
  • Water's high surface tension physically repels the lipid molecules
  • Non-polar molecules have a higher density than water, causing them to settle at the bottom

The dissolution of non-polar molecules in water would require water to form highly organized clathrate cages around them, causing a significant decrease in the system's entropy (ΔS < 0). This makes the process thermodynamically unfavorable, resulting in the hydrophobic effect and phase separation.

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