Question

What happens when soap is added to alcohol or ethanol?

Answer 1

Soap will get dissolved in the alcohol.

micelle formation does not take place in ethanol because the alkyl chain of soap becomes soluble in alcohol.

Micelles can be formed only around suspended molecules of oil in a mixture. Ethanol is a very good solvent and it can even dissolve oil to form a clear solution.

For soaps to form micelles it is necessary that the hydrophilic end sticks to the dirt (dirt is generally organic in nature). Hydrophobic end of a soap micelle readily dissolves in the solvent as soon as they are introduced in the organic solvent like ethanol before even forming micelles with the dirt & no hydrophobic end is left to stick to dirt.