Action of soap is dueto emulsification and micelle formation. Comment.
Action of soap is dueto emulsification and micelle formation. Comment.
The cleansing action ofsoap is due to emulsification and micelle formation. Soaps arebasically sodium and potassium salts of long chain fatty acids,R-COO-Na+. The end of the molecule to which thesodium is attached is polar in nature, while the alkyl-end isnon-polar. Thus, a soap molecule contains a hydrophilic (polar) and ahydrophobic (non-polar) part.
When soap is added towater containing dirt, the soap molecules surround the dirt particlesin such a manner that their hydrophobic parts get attached to thedirt molecule and the hydrophilic parts point away from the dirtmolecule. This is known as micelle formation. Thus, we can say thatthe polar group dissolves in water while the non-polar groupdissolves in the dirt particle. Now, as these micelles are negativelycharged, they do not coalesce and a stable emulsion is formed.
The cleansing action ofsoap is due to emulsification and micelle formation. Soaps arebasically sodium and potassium salts of long chain fatty acids,R-COO-Na+. The end of the molecule to which thesodium is attached is polar in nature, while the alkyl-end isnon-polar. Thus, a soap molecule contains a hydrophilic (polar) and ahydrophobic (non-polar) part.
When soap is added towater containing dirt, the soap molecules surround the dirt particlesin such a manner that their hydrophobic parts get attached to thedirt molecule and the hydrophilic parts point away from the dirtmolecule. This is known as micelle formation. Thus, we can say thatthe polar group dissolves in water while the non-polar groupdissolves in the dirt particle. Now, as these micelles are negativelycharged, they do not coalesce and a stable emulsion is formed.
