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Question
Explain the mechanism of the cleaning action of soaps.
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Solution
A soap molecule consists of two parts:
Tail: A long chain hydrocarbon tail(hydrophobic in nature)
Head: It is hydrophilic in nature.
When soap is dissolved in water and clothes are put in the soapy solution, soap molecules converge to make a structure called micelle. The hydrophobic ends of different molecules surround a particle of grease and make the micelle, and the hydrophilic end is outside this sphere.
The soap molecules which form micelles assist in dissolving the dirt in water, thus, we can wash our clothes.
Tail: A long chain hydrocarbon tail(hydrophobic in nature)
Head: It is hydrophilic in nature.
When soap is dissolved in water and clothes are put in the soapy solution, soap molecules converge to make a structure called micelle. The hydrophobic ends of different molecules surround a particle of grease and make the micelle, and the hydrophilic end is outside this sphere.
The soap molecules which form micelles assist in dissolving the dirt in water, thus, we can wash our clothes.
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