why are monosaccharides(simple sugars) more soluble in water then triacylglycerols(fats)?

Question

i need a specific answer. it has to include the structure of monosaccharies and fats.

Answer 1

Simple sugars are covered with hydroxyl groups, which are an -OH. The interesting thing about these is that oxygen is tremendously "electronegative" so that it tends to retain a higher percentage ownership of the electrons involved with its bonds than the hydrogen does. For this reason, the oxygen is slightly negative and the hydrogen is slightly positive. Also of note, the bond angles make the shape of the OH group into an elbow. with the oxygen at the elbow-point. The angle is about 109 degrees. For more info on this, ask me privately about "sp3 orbital hybridizaton", but the reason this is important is that the oxygen is sticking out a little to the one side and the hydrogen is sticking out a little to the other. Because the oxygen is a little bit negative, and the hydrogen is a little bit positive, the result is a separation of electric charges in space which creates something called a "dipole moment", which you can think of as being like electrostatic leverage.

Sugars have these hydroxyl groups all over, and these are precisely what water needs to have in order for things to be soluble. A water molecule also has a small amount of net negative/ net positive dipole (it also has an oxygen making a 109 degree elbow). Because of the polar nature of water molecules, and the polar nature of hydroxyl groups, the little positive regions of water are electrically attracted to the negative parts of the hydroxyl groups and the negative parts of water are attracted to the positive parts of the hydroxyl group. These are called "hydrogen bonds" and it means that the sugar molecule can be pulled into the midst of many water molecules without being electrostatically repelled.

Triacylglycerols are larger molecules formed primarily of 3 parallel carbon chains covered in hydrogens. The issue with this kind of molecule is that there is generally a lot of symmetry in the way that the hydrogens are distributed around the carbon backbone. Although carbon is electronegative relative to hydrogen, and the hydrogen atoms tend to have a slightly net positive charge, there is an equal net positive charge on the other side of the carbon chain at the same time. There is no net dipole moment. The entire surface of the molecule is weakly positive, while the carbon backbones that go down the center are weakly negative. Each of the three chains tends to repel the others with positive electrostatic surface charge, and the molecule is therefore a lot like someone's hair when they touch something with a load of static electricity. Water, in proximity to the hydrocarbon chains would be forced to organize itself so that the net-negative oxygen interacts with the hydrocarbon. This is more organization than the chaotic bouncing of liquid water is likely to do, so instead, the hydrocarbon is faced with a mishmash of pluses and minuses, many of which tend to repel. The result is that the two molecular species will tend to push apart. As the triacylglycerol is a large molecule with lower density than water, it will be pushed to the top where it will float.

...hope that helps!

Answer 2

Simple sugars such as monosaccharides are able to be hydrated in water and are said to be "hydrophilic" (water-loving) while fats such as triacylglycerols have long aliphatic hydrocarbon chains associated with them that are not terrribly soluble in water and are generally known as being hydrophobic (water fearing). These hydrocarbons are unable to hydrogen bond with water molecules and generally would rather not be exposed to water at all.

Answer 3

monosaccharides are able to form hydrogen bonds with water whereas triacyle glycerols only have a hydrophilic head that can bond with water. However, the hydrophobic tail is bigger/bulkier thus making fat not miscible in water. Compared to monosaccharides that are smaller polar molecules.

Answer 4

Fats and Oils take heat to cause them to break down, and water does not break them down easily. They float on top, not mix. Water will break down a sugar easy without heat. Heat will speed up the reaction.

Answer 5

"fats" are oil based, and as we know, oil and water do not mix well. simple sugars can be diliuted simply

Answer 6

oil and water dont mix

Answer 7

because it sucks