Vitamin D can be synthesized by the body from a derivative of cholesterol. Given this information, predict vitamin D's solubility.

Question

A.  Vitamin D is water-soluble.
B.  Vitamin D is fat-soluble.
C.  Vitamin D is soluble in both water and fat.
D.  Vitamin D is not soluble in either water or fat.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?

Gather Content
· What do you know about the solubility of cholesterol? How does it relate to the question?

Consider Possibilities  
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

B.  Vitamin D is fat-soluble.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o The question asks about the solubility of vitamin D.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o You are being asked to apply the solubility of cholesterol to vitamin D made from cholesterol.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Derivative of cholesterol – this means that cholesterol was the reactant in a reaction and vitamin D was made from the cholesterol.

Gather Content
· What do you know about the solubility of cholesterol? How does it relate to the question?
        o Cholesterol is a lipid and it is fat soluble.  Lipids are hydrophobic, non-polar molecules that do not dissolve well in water.

Consider Possibilities  
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o Because vitamin D is made from cholesterol, it would have a similar solubility.

Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o Vitamin D is fat soluble because it is a lipid molecule like cholesterol.

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o This question asked you to apply the structure of vitamin D to predict its solubility. If you got the correct answer, great job! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you recall that cholesterol is a lipid and thus fat-soluble and not water-soluble?  Did you realize that if vitamin D was made from cholesterol it would have similar solubility?