Hydrophobic Molecules vs. Hydrophilic Molecules

Main Difference

The main difference between Hydrophobic Molecules and Hydrophilic Molecules is that Hydrophobic Molecules are water-repellent, whereas Hydrophilic Molecules are water-loving.

Difference Between Hydrophobic Molecules and Hydrophilic Molecules

Comparison Chart

Hydrophobic Molecules vs. Hydrophilic Molecules

Hydrophobic molecules are considered as nonpolar molecules, while hydrophilic molecules elaborated as polar molecules. Hydrophobic molecules are considered molecules that do not absorb in water easily, whereas hydrophilic molecules are the molecules that can absorb in water easily. Hydrophobic molecules are also called hydrophobes; on the other hand, hydrophilic molecules are also called hydrophiles.

Hydrophobic molecules resist water molecules in the solution; on the contrary, hydrophilic molecules fascinate water molecules in the solution. The Gibbs free energy developed a positive value when hydrophobic molecules added to water; conversely, the Gibbs free energy developed a negative value when hydrophilic molecules added to water. The entropy of hydrophobic molecules decreased when molecules added to water; on the flip side, the entropy of hydrophilic molecules increased when molecules added to water.

The dissolving process of hydrophobic molecules in water is considered an endothermic reaction; on the other hand, the dissolving process of hydrophilic molecules in water considered an exothermic reaction. Some examples of hydrophobic molecules are lipids, fats, and oils, whereas hydrophilic molecules are salt, sugar, and water. Passive diffusion occurs in hydrophobic molecules in various cellular activities, while facilitated diffusion occurs in hydrophilic molecules.

What are Hydrophobic Molecules?

The term hydrophobic molecules considered as the molecules that do not absorb in water easily. Hence, these molecules are water-repellent. Hydrophobic molecules also considered hydrophobes. The hydrophobicity of hydrophobic molecules explains that how many hydrophobic molecules are. Because of the non-polarity of hydrophobic molecules, they considered hydrophobic.

In other sense, hydrophilic molecules are generally non-polar—non-polar molecules made of a long chain of hydrocarbon groups. Hydrophobic molecules form a micelle that looks like a clump in shape to have a slight interaction with water whenever hydrophobic molecules added to water. But water molecules arrange themselves around these clumps of hydrophobic molecules to produce a cage. When the micelle is produced, the hydrogen bonds break, which are present in water molecules to make some area for the clump to reside.

As chemical bond like hydrogen bond is broken down in this reaction and releases energy, so it is considered as an endothermic reaction, and this whole process causes the entropy of the system to decrease. The special form of collaboration that happens between hydrophobic molecules is generally the Van der Waal interface because they are usually nonpolar. The clumps of hydrophobic molecules present in the water get to combine and mix to lessen the further connection with water.

As the hydrogen bonds present between the water molecules which tend to surround the clumps of hydrophobic molecules cause to produce positive value for the enthalpy change, and the enthalpy of the system further increased because of breakage of cages that water molecules from around the clumps to liberate hydrophobes. Examples of hydrophobic molecules are lipids, fats, and oils.

What are Hydrophilic Molecules?

The term hydrophilic molecules describe that these molecules can easily dissolve in water because they are water-loving, and they attract water molecules. Hydrophilic molecules are also considered as hydrophiles because they are usually the polar molecules which get absorbed in water. Hydrophilic molecules considered to form various chemical bonds with water.

Hydrophilic molecules, if made of O-H or N-H bonds then they will form hydrogen bonds with water and completely get dissolved in water. Because of the mixing of the hydrophilic molecules in water, then the entropy of the system tends to increase.

Meanwhile, new bonds produced between the water and the hydrophilic molecules, so this is an exothermic reaction, but the alteration that will occur in enthalpy will be negative. The Gibbs free energy developed a negative value when hydrophilic molecules added to water indicates that this reaction is spontaneous. The variance between the electronegative values of the atoms present in chemical bonds is the main cause of increasing the polarization between different molecules. Examples of hydrophilic are salt, sugar, and water.

Conclusion

The above discussion concludes that the hydrophobic molecules are water-repellent and are non-polar, whereas hydrophilic molecules are water-loving and are polar molecules.