I got the following question wrong on a test "If a substance does not dissolve in water, but dissolves in oil, it is most likely a. polar b. homogeneous c. non-polar d. colloid" (I said A) Now that finals are coming up, I want to know what the answer is to this. Thanks for your help.

The correct answer to the question "If a substance does not dissolve in water, but dissolves in oil, it is most likely..." is c. non-polar.

Let me explain the reasoning behind this answer to help you understand. In order to answer this question, it is important to consider the solubility of substances in different solvents based on their polarity.

Water is a highly polar solvent, meaning that it has a positive region (the hydrogen atom) and a negative region (the oxygen atom). In contrast, oil is a nonpolar solvent, which means it lacks distinct positive and negative regions.

Polar substances tend to dissolve in polar solvents, such as water, because the positive and negative charges of the solvent molecules can interact with the charges of the solute molecules. On the other hand, nonpolar substances do not easily mix with polar solvents like water because there is no attraction between the polar solvent molecules and the nonpolar solute molecules.

Therefore, if a substance does not dissolve in water (a polar solvent) but dissolves in oil (a nonpolar solvent), it is most likely nonpolar. This is because the nonpolar solute molecules can interact with other nonpolar molecules in the oil, making it possible for the substance to dissolve.

In conclusion, the answer to the question is c. non-polar. Understanding the concepts of solubility, polarity, and the interaction between solute and solvent molecules can help you arrive at the correct answer.