Remember those toddler hugs? Some molecules have a positive side and a negative side, like a tiny battery. We call these polar molecules. They love to stick together because opposites attract.
Water is the queen of polarity. One side is slightly positive (hydrogen), the other slightly negative (oxygen). They form a strong net of attractions. Non-polar molecules, like oil, have no charges to speak of. They just don’t care.
That’s why oil and water don’t mix! And it’s also why oil has a much higher boiling point than water if it’s a big, sticky molecule. The polarity is like adding a secret handshake that makes the molecules cling even tighter.
