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A-Level Biology OCR A

Water Molecules Polar Dissolve Solvent Attracted Chemicals Explain

Water's polar nature makes it a good solvent for polar substances and ions, but it repels non-polar lipids, preserving membrane integrity.

Water's polarity makes it an excellent solvent for ions and polar molecules but a poor solvent for non-polar lipids, which helps maintain the stability of cell membranes.

Front Explain why the polar nature of water allows it to be a useful solvent. + why it cannot dissolve lipids and why that is useful.
Back Water as a solvent:
  • Excellent solvent for ions & polar molecules
  • Water mols are attracted to them, collect around them and separate them
  • Chemicals are then free to react with other chemicals in the solution

  • Water is a poor solvent for non-polar molecules (lipids)
  • This is because the water molecules are attracted to each other, so push the non-polar molecules together. 
  • This is important to maintain stability of membrane structures which are mainly made of lipid molecules - water does not dissolve them

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