What are soaps chemically how do they differ from synthetic detergents?
Answers
ANSWER...
A soap is the sodium salt of a long chain carboxylic acid which has cleansing property in water.
Difference between soaps and detergents are as follows:-
SOAPS:-
1. Soap are the sodium salt of the long chain carboxylic acid.
2. The ionic group of soap is
-COO-Na+
3. Soap are not suitable for washing purposes when the water is hard.
4. Soaps are biodegradable.
5. Soap have relative weak cleansing action.
Detergents:-
1. Detergents are the sodium salt of the long chain benzene sulphoric acids or long chain alkyl hydrogensulphates.
2. The ionic group of detergent is
-SO3-Na+
3. Detergents are suitable for washing purposes even when the water is hard.
4. Detergents are not biodegradable.
5. Detergents have strong cleansing action.
Hope it helps
Thanks...
A detergent is a surfactant or a combination of surfactants with cleaning properties in a dilute solution. These substances are generally alkylbenzenesulphonates, a family of compounds similar to soap but with better cleaning properties, as they are soluble even in hard water. Major applications of detergents is in the households, laundries, as fuel additives and as biological reagents. In our homes, we use detergents for washing our utensils, dishes and clothes.
As calcium and magnesium salts are present in detergents, they function as dirt removers, as dirt particles cling to them during washing activity. Washing clothes with hard water is eased as these ions help in softening it.
But, these ions also have a tendency of weakening the fabric and affecting the colour of the clothing.