Which of the following best explains why water cannot dissolve oil?

• A. Water is nonpolar and oil is polar, so they repel each other.
• B. Oil molecules are too large to fit between water molecules.
• C. Water and oil both have strong hydrogen bonding, which prevents mixing.
• D. Water is polar and oil is nonpolar, so there are no strong intermolecular attractions between them.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of polarity: Water is a polar molecule, meaning it has a partial positive charge on one side and a partial negative charge on the other, due to the difference in electronegativity between hydrogen and oxygen atoms.
2. Recognize that oil molecules are nonpolar, meaning their electrons are distributed more evenly and they do not have significant partial charges.
3. Recall the principle 'like dissolves like,' which means polar solvents tend to dissolve polar solutes, and nonpolar solvents tend to dissolve nonpolar solutes.
4. Analyze the intermolecular forces: Water molecules attract each other through strong hydrogen bonds, while oil molecules interact mainly through weaker London dispersion forces.
5. Conclude that because water is polar and oil is nonpolar, there are no strong intermolecular attractions between them, preventing oil from dissolving in water.