Soaps, detergents and emulsions Flashcards
What are soaps made from?
Fats and oils (triglycerides)
How are soaps produced?
By the alkaline hydrolysis of fats and oils.
What’s the generic name of
water-solvable ionic salts?
Soaps
Soap ions tails are soluble in…?
Covalent compounds as they are hydrophobic
Soaps have a ______ head and a _______ tail.
Polar Head and a non-polar tail
Which part of a soap ion is soluble in grease and oil?
The hydrocarbon tail as it is hydrophobic
What part of a soap ion is water soluble?
The ionic head as it is hydrophilic
Explain how soaps work?
The long hydrocarbon tail dissolves in the grease leaving the grease surrounded by negative charges which repel each other breaking the grease into globules which are attracted to water allowing them to be washed away
What is the difference between soaps and detergents?
Detergents do not have a carboxylate head
Is soap or detergent preferred in hard water areas and why?
Detergents as they do not form a precipitate (scum) with calcium or magnesium ions due to their lack of carboxylate ion.
What is an emulsion?
A liquid which contains small droplets of another liquid
What are Emulsifiers for?
They are used to keep water-soluble and oil-soluble compounds together.
How can emulsifiers be recognised?
They have a non-polar part and a polar part
