In: Chemistry
Which would be the best emulsifier of soil if soft water (no Ca2+ ions, Mg2+ ions, and so on) were used?
a. A soap.
b. A detergent.
c. Both would be about the same.
Explain your answer: ________________________________
Soap would be the best emulsifier for soft water. hard water contains dissolved Ca+2 and Mg+2 ions. Soap being sodium or potassium salt of a fatty acid, forms insolunle salts of Ca+2 and Mg+2 . Hence lather is not produced. Due to this cleansing action is not effective. Since soft water does not contain these ions it forms lather consisting of a large number of soap molecules associated to form micelles. Micelles are formed around dirt or oily particles with the hydrophilic part ot the polar part (Na+ or K+ part)of soap pointing outside and hydrophobic part attached to dirt. When the cloth is rinsed in water lather gets separated cleaning the cloth thereby. However in hard water, due to the presence of Ca+2 and Mg+2 ions, soap forms insoluble salts of these ions hence a large amount of soap is wasted. Detergents could be used if the water is hard as they do not form insoluble salts with the ions of hard water.