No, sugar is not soluble in oil.
Sugar and oil do not mix due to their different chemical properties. This is because of the principle "like dissolves like," which means that polar substances dissolve in polar solvents, and nonpolar substances dissolve in nonpolar solvents.
Here’s a breakdown:
Understanding Polarity
Polarity refers to the distribution of electrical charge within a molecule. Polar molecules have an uneven distribution of charge, creating a slightly negative end and a slightly positive end. Water is a prime example of a polar molecule. In contrast, nonpolar molecules have an even distribution of charge.
Sugar's Polarity
Sugar, specifically sucrose, is a **polar** molecule. This is why it dissolves so well in water, which is also polar.
Oil's Polarity
Oil, being a mix of hydrocarbons, is a **nonpolar** substance. Nonpolar molecules do not have these charged ends and hence, they do not attract water molecules.
Why They Don't Mix
- The reference clearly states that sugar, which dissolves in water due to its polarity, won't dissolve in oil or any other non-polar solvent.
- The polar sugar molecules are attracted to other polar molecules like water through hydrogen bonds, but have no attraction to nonpolar molecules like oil.
- Conversely, the nonpolar oil molecules are attracted to each other through weaker van der Waals forces, but they have no attraction to polar molecules.
Because of these differences in polarity, sugar and oil don't mix and the sugar will not dissolve in the oil.
In summary, since sugar is polar and oil is nonpolar, they are incompatible solvents and will not form a solution.