SOAP

Soap is commonly used almost by everyone of the world.

INTRODUCTION ABOUT SOAP

Soaps are cleaning agents used for washing and cleaning purpose. They are usually made by reacting alkali (e.g., sodium hydroxide) with naturally occurring fat or fatty acids. The reaction produces sodium salts of these fatty acids, which improve the cleaning process by making water better able to lift away greasy stains from skin, hair, clothes, and just about anything else. As a substance that has helped clean bodies as well as possessions, soap has been remarkably useful.

SOAP

Soaps are sodium or potassium fatty acids salts, produced from the hydrolysis of fats in a chemical reaction called saponification.

A soap is the sodium or potassium salt of a long-chain fatty acid. The fatty acid usually contains 12 to 18 carbon atoms. The source of the fatty acids is either from animal fats or vegetables which are esters of carboxylic acids. They have a high molecular weight and contained alcohol and glycerol. Chemically, these fats and oils are called triglyceride.

Solid soaps usually consist of sodium salts of fatty acids, whereas liquid soaps consist of the potassium salts of fatty acids. A soap such as sodium stearate consists of a nonpolar end (the hydrocarbon chain of the fatty acid) and a polar end (the ionic carboxylate).

Because the nonpolar end (hydrophobic or water-hating part) of the soap molecule can dissolve the greasy dirt, and the polar or ionic end (hydrophilic or water-loving part) of the molecule is attracted to water molecules. Therefore, the dirt from the surface being cleaned will be pulled away and suspended in water. Thus soap acts as an emulsifying agent, a substance used to disperse one liquid (oil molecules) in the form of finely suspended particles or droplets in another liquid (water molecules).

The cleansing action of the soap

The difference in performance in hard and soft water is most dramatic when soap is used. Soap reacts with the calcium in hard water to form sticky curds: hence, there must be more soap than is needed to react with all the calcium in the water before it can start to clean. Consequently, more soap is needed for cleaning in hard water than in soft water. The soap curds formed by the reaction mentioned above are a problem in laundering because they cling to clothes and trap soil on fabrics.

Wash your hands using soap for the cleansing purpose every day. Viruses will stay away from you!