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Some examples of non-polar molecules include fats, oils, and waxes. How do these substances interact with water?

User FFFffff
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Final answer:

Non-polar molecules like fats, oils, and waxes are hydrophobic and do not dissolve in water due to the polarity of water molecules. The polar water molecules repel these non-polar compounds, causing them to separate, as seen in oil and vinegar mixtures.

Step-by-step explanation:

Non-polar molecules such as fats, oils, and waxes do not interact well with water due to the polarity of water molecules. These non-polar substances are hydrophobic, meaning they repel water, and therefore do not dissolve in it.

An example of this can be seen when oil is added to water and it forms beads or a separate layer, because the polar water molecules are more attracted to each other than to non-polar oil molecules. In contrast, polar substances which do dissolve in water are known as hydrophilic. This phenomenon is famously demonstrated in the immiscibility of oil and vinegar in salad dressings, where the non-polar oil separates from the vinegar, which is an aqueous solution.

User Moody
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Since non-polar molecules are equally distributed and positively charged atoms in contrast with polar molecules. Thus, like fats oils and waxes, these materials are composed mainly of lipids or in the group of fats and are conspicuously insoluble with water. How do these substances interact with water? They are hydrophobic, thus, they don't "mix" with water. Unlike water and other polar molecules that are unequally and negatively distributed and charged making them able to bond with other molecules like oxygen and other polar molecules and substances.

User Brilliand
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