Oil and water do NOT mix because of the property of

Oil and water do NOT mix because of the property of

bulk modulus
shear strain
volume effect
surface tension
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2020
Oil and water do not mix due to the property of surface tension (more specifically, interfacial tension between the two liquids).
Water is a polar molecule with strong hydrogen bonds, giving it high surface tension. Oil is nonpolar with weaker intermolecular forces. They have different cohesive forces and weak adhesive forces between them, causing them to minimize contact area. This tendency to minimize interfacial area is a manifestation of interfacial tension, which is related to the surface tensions of the individual liquids and their interactions.
Bulk modulus is a measure of resistance to uniform compression. Shear strain is a measure of deformation under shear stress. Volume effect is not a standard term in this context.
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