An old saying says that water and oil do not mix. Although these two compounds are both liquid, they do not blend. When oil and water are put together in the same container, the oil immediately separates itself from the water and floats in the surface of the water, forming a glob or bead. Even vigorous stirring or shaking cannot mix them. The reason for this is that water and oil have different structure. Water is polar molecule its hydrogen component overwhelms the oxygen that charges its ion. On the other hand, oil is non-polar it is not charged. It consists of many C-H bonds that make it hydrophobic or water-fearing. Base on the scientific principle that like dissolves like, which means polar molecule dissolves polar molecule and non-polar dissolves non-polar, water cannot dissolve oil, or vice versa. There is no interaction between the two compounds because the molecule of water cannot form a bond with the molecules of the oil therefore, they do not mix.
Although water and oil differ in their ionic charge, they can be mixed with the addition of soap. Soap, commonly used in cleaning away dirt and grease that cannot be removed by plain water, has two unlike ends. Its one end is polar or hydrophilic, which is water-loving and dissolves in water on the other end is non-polar or hydrophobic, which avoids water but can dissolve non-polar molecules. When soap is added in oil with water, the polar end of the soaps molecule interacts and forms a bond with water molecule. This interaction creates an aggregation or clustering of molecules called micelle. A micelle is a cluster of many soap molecules that bond together in a spherical shape wherein the hydrophilic heads are exposed outside while their non-polar tails, which do not interact with water, are inside. Since these tails attract non-polar molecules, the oil molecules are enclosed and dissolved inside the micelle. When water dissolves the soap, the oil within the micelle mixes with the water.
Although water and oil differ in their ionic charge, they can be mixed with the addition of soap. Soap, commonly used in cleaning away dirt and grease that cannot be removed by plain water, has two unlike ends. Its one end is polar or hydrophilic, which is water-loving and dissolves in water on the other end is non-polar or hydrophobic, which avoids water but can dissolve non-polar molecules. When soap is added in oil with water, the polar end of the soaps molecule interacts and forms a bond with water molecule. This interaction creates an aggregation or clustering of molecules called micelle. A micelle is a cluster of many soap molecules that bond together in a spherical shape wherein the hydrophilic heads are exposed outside while their non-polar tails, which do not interact with water, are inside. Since these tails attract non-polar molecules, the oil molecules are enclosed and dissolved inside the micelle. When water dissolves the soap, the oil within the micelle mixes with the water.
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