Emulsions

Emulsifier MoleculeThe head end is called hydrophilic because it likes water. The tail end is called hydrophobic as it hates water.

Explain what happens when an emulsifier is added to a mixture of oil and water.The tail end of some of the emulsifier molecules attaches itself to the oil drops.

Explain what happens to the micelles when the emulsifier is used up.Eventually more emulsifier molecules attach themselves to the oil droplet. This is called a micelle.Charged droplets repel each other keeping them spread apart throughout the water.

Explain what happens to the micelles after some time.When two micelles collide, they will join to form a larger droplet. Eventually the emulsion will separate back into two layers. The longer this takes, the more stable the emulsion was.

Explain what will happen to the mixture when most of the droplets have merged.The oil is less dense than the water therefore the oil floats on top of the water, creating two separate layers. The oil and water do not mix.

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