what is the common characteristic of lipids
What is the characteristic that all lipids have in common? A: The common characteristic of all lipids is they are hydrophobic, so they are insoluble in polar solvents, such as water. They are, however, soluble in at least one non-polar organic solvent. The reason lipids are hydrophobic is that their molecules have long hydrocarbon chains with 16 to 18 carbon atoms. Keep Learning.