Final answer:
The correct statement regarding the hydrophobic effect is that it is a result of strong hydrogen bonding between water molecules, causing hydrophobic molecules to aggregate and minimize contact with water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hydrophobic effect is a fundamental concept in biology that describes the behavior of nonpolar substances in a predominantly polar environment, such as water. Specifically, hydrophobic substances do not dissolve or interact favorably with water due to the lack of charges and the inability to form hydrogen bonds. Instead, these nonpolar molecules aggregate together, minimizing their exposure to water. This phenomenon occurs because water molecules preferentially form hydrogen bonds with each other or with polar substances, leaving nonpolar molecules to exclude water and associate with one another.
Statement D is true: "It is a result of strong hydrogen bonding between water molecules." This bonding leads water to form an organized structure, which cannot host nonpolar, hydrophobic molecules, thus causing them to aggregate together to minimize their disruptive effect on water's hydrogen-bonded network.
Statement A is misleading because 'repel' suggests an active force, whereas hydrophobic substances are more accurately described as not being attracted to or not interacting favorably with water. Statement B is incorrect since the presence of hydrophilic molecules does not enhance the hydrophobic effect, rather, it underscores the inability of hydrophobic molecules to interact with water. Lastly, Statement C is false, as the hydrophobic effect does not promote the dispersion of hydrophobic molecules in water but rather their aggregation.