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Why is the end of fatty acids non polar and hydrophobic?

Best Answers

Fatty acids are alkanes with a carboxylic acid on one end. In short, fatty acids are gasoline with a hook on the end. The ENTIRE alkane chain is hydrophobic… not just the “end”. Why is it hydrophobic? read more

Fatty acids have a polar end (the carboxylic acid group) and a non-polar hydrocarbon chain. The ratio of the polar group to the non-polar group is the factor which determines water solubility. With long-chain fats (carbon chain lengths of 14–22), the hydrophobic character of the chain easily dominates and the water solubility is truly minimal. read more

The carboxyl end of the fatty acid is highly polar and therefore water soluble (hydrophilic meaning attracted to water). Hydrocarbon chain of the fatty acid is highly non-polar and therefore water insoluble (hydrophobic, which means scared of water). read more

Water, on the other end, does not 'want' to interact with fatty acids, since it will have to rearrange around the fatty acid molecule to ensure the same number of hydrogen bonds are made. This is an entropic cost, that makes the total Gibbs Free Energy change unfavorable. read more

Further Research

Why is oil hydrophobic?
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