Final answer:
Hydrophobic substances like vegetable oil are nonpolar and repel water, making them water-fearing. They do not dissolve in or mix with water, instead separating from it.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hydrophobic substances such as vegetable oil are described as nonpolar substances that repel water molecules. This is due to the lack of polarity in hydrophobic molecules, which means they do not form hydrogen bonds with water and do not mix or dissolve in it. For example, when oil is mixed with water, the two substances separate instead of combining. Hydrophobic molecules are considered water-fearing because they do not interact favorably with water, unlike hydrophilic substances, which are water-loving and tend to mix with, dissolve in, or be wetted by water.
A correct statement that would describe hydrophobic substances like vegetable oil is: A) Nonpolar substances that repel water molecules.
Hydrophobic substances such as vegetable oil are nonpolar substances that repel water molecules. This means that oils do not interact well with water and separate from it instead of dissolving in it. The term hydrophobic means 'water-fearing' and refers to substances that do not favorably interact with water.