Explain the mechanism of the cleaning action of soaps.
Explain the mechanism of the cleaning action of soaps.
A soap molecule is a sodium or potassium salt of long chain carboxylic acid. It consists of two parts, i.e., a long hydrocarbon tail and a negatively charged head. The hydrocarbon tail is hydrophobic, i.e., insoluble in water and repelled by water while the polar end is soluble in water and hydrophilic in nature. When soap is applied on a wet dirty surface, the polar end of the soap molecule dissolves in water while the non-polar end attaches it to dirt molecule, as dirt is non-polar in nature. This results in the formation of spherical clusters called as Micelles. In micelle the hydrophobic tails are in the interior of the cluster while the ionic ends are on the surface of the cluster. Due to ion-ion repulsion the micelle stay in the solution as a colloid and do not come together to form precipitate. Thus, an emulsion is formed which helps to dissolve dirt in water and it is finally washed with running water.
A soap molecule is a sodium or potassium salt of long chain carboxylic acid. It consists of two parts, i.e., a long hydrocarbon tail and a negatively charged head. The hydrocarbon tail is hydrophobic, i.e., insoluble in water and repelled by water while the polar end is soluble in water and hydrophilic in nature. When soap is applied on a wet dirty surface, the polar end of the soap molecule dissolves in water while the non-polar end attaches it to dirt molecule, as dirt is non-polar in nature. This results in the formation of spherical clusters called as Micelles. In micelle the hydrophobic tails are in the interior of the cluster while the ionic ends are on the surface of the cluster. Due to ion-ion repulsion the micelle stay in the solution as a colloid and do not come together to form precipitate. Thus, an emulsion is formed which helps to dissolve dirt in water and it is finally washed with running water.
