Question

Give five differences between soaps and detergents.

Answer 1

Soaps-
1.Soaps are unsuitable for washing purposes, if water is hard.
2.Soaps are prepared from vegetable oils or animal fats.
3.Soaps are biodegradable.
4.Soaps are sodium salts of carboxylic acids.
5.Soaps have relatively weak cleansing action.
Detergents-
1. Detergent can be used even when water is hard.
2.Detergents are prepared from petroleum products.
3.Some detergents are not biodegradable.
4. Detergent are sodium salts of long chain alkyl hydrogen sulphate or long chain benzene sulphonic acid.
5.Detergents have a strong cleansing action.
Hope it helps you !!