Nonpolar molecules tend to aggregate in water because they are forced to come into close proximity with each other due to

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Nonpolar molecules do not interact well with water because of their lack of charged or polar functional groups. Instead, they tend to aggregate through hydrophobic interactions, which are weaker and less specific than the hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions that drive the solvation of polar or charged molecules in water. The hydrophobic effect arises from the disruption of the structured network of water molecules around nonpolar solutes, which leads to an increase in their entropy (disorder) and a decrease in the net energy required to keep them separated. When nonpolar molecules are in close proximity, these weak attractive forces can outweigh the entropic cost of bringing them together, resulting in the formation of hydrophobic clusters or micelles.

Nonpolar Molecules Tend to Aggregate in Water Because They Are