Question

Is Oleic acid organic or inorganic? Polar or nonpolar? Covalent or Ionic?

Answer 1

Oleic acid is only composed of C/H/O - and is Organic.

Polar or Nonpolar is a bit tough. For big molecules like this, it is easier to think in terms of "liking water" or "hating water" (hydrophillic or hydrophobic). Oleic acid is hydrophobic, and would be considered Nonpolar. However, Oleic Acid (like most fatty acids) contains 2 sections. One section is a long C-H chain that is entirely nonpolar. The other section is a COOH carboxylic acid group, which is polar.

As for covalent or Ionic, Oleic acid is entirely comprised of covalent bonds. However, the COOH carboxylic acid group can become deprotonated and take on the

C

O

O

−

form, which is anionic. But the molecule, even in its ionic form, is still entirely put together with covalent bonds.