How does water’s polarity affect its interactions with other molecules?

  • 10.08.2022
  • Digital Journal

Water’s polarity also affects its ability to dissolve other substances. When a substance dissolves in water, the hydrophilic molecules of the water surround and attach to the molecules of the substance

This means that the electric charges within the water molecules are not evenly distributed. The side of the molecule with the more positive charge is known as the “hydrophilic” (water-loving) side, while the side with the more negative charge is known as the “hydrophobic” (water-hating) side.

Water (H2O) is a polar molecules and it affects how it interact with other molecules. For example, hydrophilic molecules are attracted to each other and tend to dissolve in water. Hydrophobic molecules, on the other hand, are repelled by water and tend to stay out of it.

In general, polar molecules are attracted to each other, while non-polar molecules are repelled by each other. This is because opposites attract: the positive charges on one molecule are attracted to the negative charges on another molecule.

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