Reply To: Paper Towels and Oil
Thank you for your question Emily. It baffled me too. I pulled the following off the internet. I hope it helps.
2. Cellulose and Polarity:
Cellulose, the main component of paper towels, is a polymer made of sugar molecules.
These sugar molecules have polar (charged) regions.
Oil molecules are generally non-polar.
However, paper towels can still absorb oil due to the capillary action and the ability of cellulose to create a network that can trap oil molecules.
The porous structure of the paper towel allows oil molecules to penetrate and be held within the towel.
3. Adhesion and Cohesion:
Water molecules are cohesive (they stick to each other) and adhesive (they stick to other materials, like cellulose).
While oil is not as strongly attracted to cellulose as water, it is still able to be absorbed through the capillary action and the physical structure of the paper towel.
The oil molecules are trapped within the spaces of the paper towel, effectively removing the oil from the surface it was on.