Which term means having an affinity for water?

• A. Hydrophobic
• B. Hydrophilic
• C. Codon
• D. Mutation

Answer: (B)

A substance that readily interacts with water is hydrophilic. Hydrophilic describes water-loving properties because these substances are polar or charged, allowing them to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules. This makes them dissolve well in aqueous environments and be carried in bodily fluids. In contrast, hydrophobic refers to water-repelling, nonpolar substances like oils that do not mix with water. The other two terms—codon and mutation—are genetic concepts and do not describe how a substance interacts with water. Codons are triplets of nucleotides that encode amino acids, while mutations are changes in DNA sequences.