Difference between soap and detergent?

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Solution

Soaps

Detergents

1.

Soaps are the sodium salts of long chain carboxylic acids

Detergents are sodium salts of long chain benzene sulphonic acids

2.

The ionic group in soaps is

–COO-Na+

The ionic group in soaps is

SO3-Na+ or SO4-Na+

3.

Soaps are not useful when water is hard

Detergents can be used for washing purposes even when water is hard

4.

Soaps are biodegradable

Some of the detergents are non-biodegradable

5.

Soaps have relatively weak cleansing action

Detergents have a strong cleansing action

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	Soaps	Detergents
1.	Soaps are the sodium salts of long chain carboxylic acids	Detergents are sodium salts of long chain benzene sulphonic acids
2.	The ionic group in soaps is –COO-Na+	The ionic group in soaps is SO3-Na+ or SO4-Na+
3.	Soaps are not useful when water is hard	Detergents can be used for washing purposes even when water is hard
4.	Soaps are biodegradable	Some of the detergents are non-biodegradable
5.	Soaps have relatively weak cleansing action	Detergents have a strong cleansing action