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  • What is the difference between soap and detergent ?Option: 1 soaps are used for soft water while detergents are used for hard water.<di

What is the difference between soap and detergent ?

Option: 1

soaps are used for soft water while detergents are used for hard water.


Option: 2

Soap contains (-COO^-) while detergent contains (-SO_4^-)


Option: 3

Both (A) and (B)


Option: 4

None of these


Answers (1)

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Soap is sodium or potassium salt of higher fatty acid and may be represented as RCOO–Na+ (e.g., sodium stearate CH_3 (CH_2 )_{16}COO^-Na^+, which is a major component of many bar soaps). When dissolved in water, it dissociates into RCOO– and Na+ ions.

The RCOO– ions, however, consist of two parts — a long hydrocarbon chain R (also called non-polar ‘tail’) which is hydrophobic (water repelling), and a polar group COO– (also called polar-ionic ‘head’), which is hydrophilic (water loving).

Similarly, in case of detergents, e.g., sodium laurylsulphate,CH_3 (CH_2 )_{11}SO_4^-Na^+ , the polar group is –SO4– along with the long hydrocarbon chain

So, Soap contains (-COO^-) while detergent contains (-SO_4^-)

soaps are used for soft water while detergents are used for hard water.

So, Both (A) and (B) are correct.

Therefore, Option 3 is correct.

Posted by

Nehul

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