What do hydrophilic molecules do

Nucleation is important for understanding metals and crystallization. View Full Term. By clicking sign up, you agree to receive emails from Corrosionpedia and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Hydrophilic refers to having a strong affinity for water.

Something that is hydrophilic is soluble in water and dissolves into water very easily. Hydrophilic is the opposite of hydrophobic. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces both have important applications in all types of engineering, including:. A hydrophilic molecule or portion of a molecule is typically charge-polarized and capable of hydrogen bonding, enabling it to dissolve more readily in water than in oil or other hydrophobic solvents. Hydrophilic substances can seem to attract water out of the air.

The hydrophilic concept is used in many industries. For example, hydrophilic membrane filtration is used in several industries to filter various substances such as:. There is a group of molecules that have both hydrophilic as well as a hydrophobic part in their structure, such molecules are known as Amphipathic molecules. The most common category of such molecules is commonly known as surfactants.

Depending on their nature, surfactant molecules are utilized in a wide variety of applications. Thus, the HLB scale helps to understand the affinity of the surfactant molecule towards a solvent. Surfactants are very important and critical for the formulation and stabilization of emulsions.

The HLB scale was introduced by Griffin and usually ranges from The categorization of surfactant molecules based on the HLB scale is enlisted in Table 2.

A lower HLB value is indicative of the water-repelling or hydrophobic nature of the surfactants while a higher HLB value is indicative of the water-loving or Hydrophilic nature of the surfactants. Interestingly, one of the most commonly used surfactants, Sodium lauryl sulfate has an HLB value of These surfactants are widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. The body is comprised of different elements with hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen as the major four.

This tutorial will help you understand the chemical composition of the body. This will come in handy when considering the various interactions between cells and structures. Read More. Skip to content Main Navigation Search.

Dictionary Articles Tutorials Biology Forum. Table of Contents. Hydrophilic biology definition : water-loving; having an affinity for water; capable of interacting with water through hydrogen bonding. Compare: hydrophobic. Which of the following is true about hydrophiles? They repel water. They lack an affinity for water. They interact with water through hydrogen bonding.

Which of the following depicts the contact angle of a hydrophilic surface? Which of these substances is "water-loving"? What is an amphipathic molecule? Suggestions or feedback? Previous image Next image. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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