Answer to Question #168780 in Biochemistry for Izzy

Question

Which property of water allows it to dissolve substances like sodium chloride and glucose but prevents it from dissolving lipids?

Answer 1

Sugar, sodium chloride, and hydrophilic proteins are all substances that dissolve in water. Oils, fats, and certain organic solvents do not dissolve in water because they are hydrophobic.

At the molecular level, salt dissolves in water due to electrical charges and due to the fact that both water and salt compounds are polar, with positive and negative charges on opposite sides in the molecule.

e.g.

The polarity of water molecules enables water to dissolve many ionically bonded substances. Salt (sodium chloride) is made from positive sodium ions bonded to negative chloride ions.