Answer:
- Since both butter and fat are not polar compounds, plain water (polar) will be unable to clean all the fat from greasy dishes.
- What is needed to thoroughly clean a greasy dish is a detergent, since it makes it easier for the fat molecules to dissolve in the water.
Explanation:
Water is a molecule considered a universal solvent, given the physical-chemical characteristics that allow it to bind to a large number of molecules and chemical elements as it is a polar molecule. Lipids or fats, on the other hand, are non-polar molecules that cannot be diluted in water, but can be diluted in solvents such as alcohols.
The water (H₂O) is unable to drag the fat molecules on the surface of the plate, which is due to the difference in polarity of the water and fat molecules.
Lipids are non-polar and immiscible molecules in H₂O because they are hydrocarbon chains with single or double bonds that do not show polarity, and their adhesion to the H₂O molecule is not possible.
To remove grease from a greasy dish, a detergent should be applied.
Detergents and soaps are chemical substances that have the property of emulsifying lipids and fats, because they have a hydrophilic portion -with an affinity for water- and a lipophilic one.
When a fat molecule is chemically emulsified it becomes soluble in water -the hydrophilic portion acts with H₂O- which makes it easier for a detergent to facilitate the cleaning of greasy dishes.
