Hydrophobic substances

10/03/16

“Are there substances that are repelled by water?”
You are probably familiar with water. I mean, it’s the basic principle of all life on this planet! And this importance derives from the fact that water can form bonds with nearly all sets of compounds. However, are there substances that are not only insoluble by water but actively repel it? Well, let’s think about how such a substance could exist. The first thing we should analyze is what makes water so bondable, and that comes as a consequence of the polar nature it’s structure. So logically speaking, shouldn’t nonpolar elements have difficulty bonding with water? This is the operating principle behind hydrophobic substances. Examples of hyrophobic molecules include alkanes, oils, and fats.