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  • What is the difference between soaps and detergents ? State in brief the cleansing action of soaps in removing an oily spot from a fabric. Why are soaps not very effective when a fabric is washed in hard water ? How is this problem resolved ? <p

What is the difference between soaps and detergents ? State in brief the cleansing action of soaps in removing an oily spot from a fabric. Why are soaps not very effective when a fabric is washed in hard water ? How is this problem resolved ?

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

Answers (1)

Soaps are composed of sodium potassium salts of long chain carboxylic acids where as detergent are composed of sodium salt of benzene sulphonic acids.

Action of soap in removing an oily spot from clothe. The dirt on clothes is organic in nature and it is insoluble in water.

In removing oily spot from cloth only water is not enough. It can be removed by soap because when soap is dissolved in water, its hydrophobic ends attach themselves to the dirt and remove it from cloth.

Soap does not work in hard water because hard water contains calcium and magnesium ions of sulphates, chlorides and carbonates which reacts with soap molecules to form a insoluble pacipitate called scum.

Solution of problem :

Hard water has presence of calcium and magnesium salts which could be removed by adding lime water. After reaction with time water calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxides are precipitated and we can obtained soft water.

Posted by

Sumit Saini

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