Stearic acid, a fatty acid commonly found in animal fat, has a condensed chemical formula of ch3(ch2)16cooh. it is a common component of soaps and detergents. which statement below is false? stearic acid would probably dissolve in nonpolar solvents such as hexane, c6h14. the long alkane "tail," ch3(ch2)16−, is hydrophobic. stearic acid contains hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions. the –cooh group would experience hydrogen bonding with water. stearic acid and water are probably miscible.