What is basic difference in terms of functional group between soap & detergent.
Answers
Answer:
Importance and difference between soaps and detergents is as follows:
Soap is a triacylglyceride derviative (fat) while detergents are often produced synthetically.
The head-group of soap a molecule is usually a carboxylate anion while common detergents often use phosphate or sulfate head-groups (ie Sodium dodecyl sulfate).
Soap's effectiveness is greatly affected by the presence of certain minerals in solution such as those typically associated with hard water. Detergents are usually not affected by minerals in solution.
Soaps are the sodium salts of long chain carboxylic acids
Detergents are sodium salts of long chain benzene sulphonic acids
Soaps are biodegradable while some of the detergents are non-biodegradable.
Soaps have relatively weak cleansing action whereas; detergents have a strong cleansing action.
A detergent is a sodium salt of alkyl benzene sulphonate or of a fatty alcohol sulphate. A soap is a sodium or potassium salt of higher fatty acids.
A detergent is more effective in hard water. Soaps are less effective in hard water.
Explanation:
A fatty acid is an organic compound most often of animal or plant origin. A fatty acid contains a long-chain aliphatic carbon skeleton (with or without branches) plus a carboxylic acid group (-COOH) at its end.
difference between soap and detergent
The metal may be an alkali metal such sodium (Na) or potassium (K). These metals are found in the first column of the periodic table of the elements. Or, the metal can be an alkaline earth metal, such as calcium (Ca) or magnesium (Mg). These metals are found in the second column of the periodic table of the elements.