Unsaturated fats change bromine water from orange to colourless. How?

Unsaturated fats usually have a C=C double bond, e.g. vegetable oil. So, it's 'unstable' because of the high concentration of negative charge (electrons). Bromine (B2) is not polarised. However, as it approaches the double bond, it polarises. We can this a permanent dipole to induced dipole reaction. Bromine than attaches to the hydrocarbon creating halogenated hydrocarbons (Bromine is a halogen). Since bromine is added on, we call this an addition reaction. This helps separate alkanes from alkenes. Diagram will help explain.

AC
Answered by Abi C. Chemistry tutor

9576 Views

See similar Chemistry A Level tutors

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

When 80.0cm^3 of 0.500 M hydrochloric acid was added to 1.75g of impure CaCO3, not all HCl reacts. The unreacted HCl required 22.4 cm^3 of a 0.500 M solution of NaOH for complete reaction. Calculate percentage by mass of CaCO3 in the impure sample.


Why does ice float on water?


What is Entropy?


Order the relative base strength of phenyl amine, methyl amine and methylphenyl amine and outline your reasoning.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning