Question

How would you distinguish soap from detergent

Answer 1

Soaps :

Soaps are sodium or potassium salts of long chain carboxylic acids.

Soaps have lesser cleansing action or quality as compared to detergents.

Soaps are made from animal or plant fats.

Soaps are more biodegradable.

Detergents :

Detergents are ammonium or solphonate salts of long chain carboxylic acids.

Detergents have better cleansing action as compared to soaps.

Detergents are made from petrochemicals. Detergents are less biodegradable.

Answer 2

Molecules of Soap are sodium or potassium salts of long chain carboxylic acid

They produce a white precipitate called scum in hard water

Detergents are generally ammonium or sulphate salts of long carboxylic acid

The charged end of these compounds do not form insoluble precipitates in hard water