Question

state the reason for the suitability of using detergents for washing, even in the case of water having calcium and magnesium ions.

Answer 1

Detergents are generally ammonium or sulphonate salts of long chain carboxylic acids which do not react with the magnesium and calcium ions in water.So it does not form insoluble precipitates with the calcium and magnesium ions and therefore no scum formation takes place and it remains effective in hard water also. Hence detergents is suitable for cleansing the cloth in water containing calcium and magnesium ions.