Is Peanut Oil Amphipathic or Hydrophobic?

  • Thread starter Thread starter lha08
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Oil
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

Peanut oil is classified as hydrophobic due to its molecular structure, which consists primarily of long hydrocarbon chains and an ester functional group. While some sources may describe it as amphipathic because of the presence of a polar carboxylic group, the consensus in this discussion is that peanut oil does not exhibit amphipathic properties. Instead, its hydrophobic nature prevents it from forming stable emulsions with water, despite its interaction with amphipathic substances like soap.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of hydrophobic and amphipathic molecules
  • Knowledge of ester functional groups in organic chemistry
  • Familiarity with molecular structure and properties of oils
  • Basic principles of emulsification and surfactants
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the molecular structure of various vegetable oils and their properties
  • Study the role of surfactants in emulsification processes
  • Explore the chemistry of amphipathic molecules and their applications
  • Investigate the differences between hydrophobic and amphipathic substances in biological systems
USEFUL FOR

Chemistry students, food scientists, and anyone interested in the properties of oils and their interactions with surfactants.

lha08
Messages
158
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Soap is amphipathic; it has a hydrophobic hydrocarbon and a polar carboxylate group. But here's where I'm getting confused; in oil, such as peanut oil for example, is it amphipathic or only hydrophobic?
I looked everywhere and in some books it says that its amphipathic because of its hydrocarbon chain and polar carboxylic group, while in others it says its strictly hydrophobic...but when we place oil in soap, it should form emulsions which suggests that its only hydrophobic but from a molecular point of view, shouldn't oil be amphipathic?



Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
Physics news on Phys.org
The word you are trying to use should be changed to something else. Amphi-What?

A vegetable oil (and also an animal oil or fat) will be hydrophobic. The ester functional group will hold two hydrophobic parts together, making one larger hydrphobic molecule.
 

Similar threads

Chemistry How Does Methyl Orange's Color Intensity Vary on Cotton, Nylon, and Wool?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
Comparing acidity among 3 compounds - pic included
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
5K
News Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of Energy Independence
  • · Replies 133 ·
5
Replies
133
Views
28K
What is the Structure of the Unknown Compound Based on NMR and IR Spectroscopy?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
Organic Chemistry: Sn1/E1/Sn2/E2/Alchol/Ether Transformations
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
8K
Graduate Birefringence and Automotive Window Tinting
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
8K
Graduate Is delayed choice remote entanglement of photons derived from TDSE?
  • · Replies 58 ·
2
Replies
58
Views
5K
Can I get my intro Bio problems checked?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
High School Problems I Have With Electrostatics and Pith Ball Experiments
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
5K
Isoelectric Point: Definition & Calculation
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K