DID YOU KNOW?

The cleaning action of soap involves the action of soap ions on fat or grease.

 Soap molecules dissolve in water producing positive ions (e.g. sodium ion) and soap ions The soap ions consist of two ends i.e the ionic head and the hydrocarbon end

STRUCTURE OF A SOAP ION

H3 C H2 C C H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 C C C C C C C C C C C C H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 H2 -COO-

HEAD (ion)

TAIL( hydrocarbon chain)

 The ionic end of the soap ion dissolves in water The hydrocarbon chain dissolves in organic substances

Ionic end

+ - Soap ions

Hydrocarbon end

Sodium ions

GREASE LAYER

CLOTH SURFACE

+
+

GREASE LAYER

CLOTH SURFACE

- -

GREASE LAYER

CLOTH SURFACE

+
+ +

- - - -

CLOTH SURFACE

- - - -

CLOTH SURFACE

+ +
+

- - - - CLOTH SURFACE

CLOTH SURFACE

CLOTH SURFACE

+
+

GREASE LAYER

CLOTH SURFACE

- -

CLOTH SURFACE

+
+ +

- - - -

CLOTH SURFACE

- - - -

CLOTH SURFACE

+ +
+

- - - - CLOTH SURFACE

CLOTH SURFACE

CLOTH SURFACE