Question

How does water dissolve organic molecules?

Answer 1

Hint: The ones that contain carbon atoms are organic compounds. Large organic molecules, or macromolecules, in living systems may consist of hundreds or thousands of atoms. Polymers, molecules composed of a single unit (monomer) replicated several times, are often macromolecules.

Complete answer:
A lot of various compounds can be dissolved by water, which is why it is such a strong solvent. Water molecules have a polar configuration of oxygen and hydrogen atoms, with a positive electrical charge on one side (hydrogen), and a negative charge on the other side (oxygen). By forming dipole-dipole attractions and hydrogen bonding with them, water dissolves organic molecules. "Like dissolves like'' is the basic law. In other words, in a polar solvent like water, molecules which are polar can dissolve. A cholesterol-like molecule consists almost entirely of the bonds of nonpolar C-C and C-H. Poor London dispersion forces are one of the appealing forces.

The molecules of water attract each other so intensely that a molecule of cholesterol can't get between them. In water, cholesterol is insoluble. On the other hand, glucose has several polar groups of OH that can form hydrogen bonds with water. The water molecules are as closely drawn to the glucose as they are to each other. Glucose can get through the molecules of water quickly, so glucose dissolves in water. Generally, the more groups of O-H and N-H in a molecule, the more soluble it is going to be.

Note: As they can form hydrogen bonds with water, carboxylic acids are soluble in water. Yet solubility reduces as the alkyl group gets bigger. Formic acid, ethanoic acid and propanoic acid are soluble in liquids. Note that in water, carboxylic acids dissolve and dissociate to have an acidic solution.