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Q20 (CAPF/2020) Science & Technology › Basic Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) › Basic chemical principles Answer Verified

Oil and water do NOT mix because of the property of

Result
Your answer: —  Â·  Correct: D
Explanation

Oil and water do not mix primarily due to the differences in their molecular properties and the resulting interfacial forces. Water molecules are polar and exhibit strong cohesive forces, specifically hydrogen bonding, while oil is non-polar. When these two immiscible liquids are in contact, the forces acting at their interface are known as interfacial tension, which is a specific form of surface tension. Surface tension arises because molecules at the surface experience a net inward pull from cohesive forces, causing the liquid to minimize its surface area. Because the adhesive forces between polar water and non-polar oil are significantly weaker than the cohesive forces within the water itself, the liquids resist mixing to maintain the lowest energy state. Other options like bulk modulus and shear strain relate to a material's resistance to compression or deformation and do not govern chemical miscibility [2].

Sources

  1. [1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/bulk-modulus
  2. [2] https://www.met.reading.ac.uk/pplato2/h-flap/phys7_6.html
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