Which statement best describes why vitamin A is soluble in organic solvents but not in water?
A) Actually, vitamin A is water soluble.
B) The hydroxyl group is hydrophobic in this case.
C) Vitamin A does not contain any hydrophilic groups.
D) The hydrophobic part of the molecule is much larger than the hydrophilic.
E) Vitamin A does not contain any hydrophobic groups.

Question

Which statement best describes why vitamin A is soluble in organic solvents but not in water? 
A) Actually, vitamin A is water soluble. 
B) The hydroxyl group is hydrophobic in this case. 
C) Vitamin A does not contain any hydrophilic groups. 
D) The hydrophobic part of the molecule is much larger than the hydrophilic. 
E) Vitamin A does not contain any hydrophobic groups.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Vitamin A contains a long hydrophobic tail (the non-polar part of the molecule), which makes it insoluble in water. Organic solvents, on the other hand, are able to dissolve hydrophobic molecules, which is why vitamin A is soluble in them. The molecule also contains a hydrophilic end, but this is much smaller than the hydrophobic end, making it overall a hydrophobic molecule.

Which Statement Best Describes Why Vitamin a Is Soluble in Organic