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Soap acts as an emulsifying agent. An emulsifier is capable of dispersing one liquid into another immiscible liquid. Nearly all compounds fall into one of two categories: hydrophilic and hydrophobic. Water and anything that will mix with water are hydrophilic. Oil and anything that will mix with oil are hydrophobic. When water and oil are mixed they separate, which is why hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds just do not mix. When grease or oil is mixed with a soap- water solution, the soap molecules work as a bridge between polar water molecules and non-polar oil molecules. It doesn't separate them -- in fact, it does the opposite. Soap allows water and oil to mix.
See the Related Questions to the left for more information about how soap works.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoSoap is a sub-class of a group of chemicals called surfactants. Most all surfactants, including soap, share a common structure. They have two parts. One is a hydrophlic part, which means water-loving. The other is a hydrophobic part, which means water-hating (usually meaning that part is oil-loving). So, the water-loving part helps help soap dissolved in water. The water-hating part helps keep soap dissolved in oil.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoSoap is a surfactant meaning it has a polar end and a non-polar end. When soap is used to clean oil and grease, the non-polar end bonds to the non-polar molecule. Then when you rinse with water, the polar end is grabbed by the water (which is also polar) and takes the rest of the surfactant (soap) which contains the oil and grease down the drain with it.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoSoap is readily dissolved in either oil or water.
The reason being, one end of the soap molecule is soluble in water and the other end is soluble in oil.
When oil, water, and soap are mixed together, the soap is "half-dissoled" in water and "half-dissolved" in oil. This makes the oil 'mix' with the water.
Soap cleans by acting as an emulsifier. It allows oil and water to mix so that oily grime can be removed during rinsing.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoSoap is a salt of long chain fatty acid CH3- (CH2)n- COONa , so there are two parts of soap 1- (ionic or inorganic) hydrophilic part (water loving) and 2- (non polar or organic) hydrophobic part (water hating) , so ionic part is responsible for its solubility in water and non polar part is responsible for its solubility in organic oils.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoOil is insoluble in water (insoluble means it does not dissolve).
Wiki User
∙ 13y agono cause the soap just combines with the oil.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoyou eat the soap and spit out the salt
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How necessary is soap in removing salt from your hands?
Soap is not necessary for removing salt from your hands. Salt is very easy to clean off your hands with just water.
How would you separate the components of a glycerol table salt and water solution?
Boiling off the water from a salt solution will separate the solid salt and water (which can be collected by a condenser).
How would you separate soap bubbles from water?
well, add table salt to soapy water (trust me it works, i did a science fair project on this) and leave the salt/soap/water mixture for 6-8 hours or overnightand filter.add. This is actually a serious problem as dairy cows get a condition commonly known as 'bloat' caused by excess foaming of stomach contents. Various remedies have been made to relieve this condition.
What are the steps to separate iron filings sand and salt?
Hold a magnet over it and the iron will fly out of the salt and stick to it, and the salt will stay there.
How would you separate the sand and salt from a sample of sea water?
<p>You can separate the sand by filtration, but still the salt (mainly sodium chloride) is dissolved in the water. Then, you can separate the salt from water by distillation. The liquid you collect after water vapor is chilled is distilled water. You can use other methods to separate sand as sedimentation (usually slower than filtration) and salt as reverse osmosis.<p>
How can you separate a mixture of glycerol and water?
dnt no you can separate glycerin to add brine solution at the time of soap trace brine solution is a salt water and salt is insoluble in glycerin so after pouring salt water the soap separated in two phases soap upper phase and the spent soap lye(lower phase)the spent lye soap was filter to remove unwanted soap particles after hydrochloric acid treatment and then neutralizing with sodium hydroxide solution and then keep in oven for drying this stage there will be two layers salt and glycerin layer care fully decanted and store in a refrigerator
How does common salt help in separating soap from the solution after saponification?
1. Sodium chloride help to separate soap from the mixture by precipitation. 2. Adding sodium chloride the soap is more hard.
What dissolves soap but not salt?
Saturated salt solution dissolve soap but not salt at same temperature and pressure.
Which sentence is grammatically correct either baking soda or soap are a salt or either baking soda or soap is a salt?
Either baking soda or soap is salt.
Why is soap neutralized by metal salts?
Salt is added to soap solution to help precipitation and separation of salt.
What is the use of common salt in soap industry?
For solubility of soap
Why is salt needed in soap making?
Salt is needed in soap making to harden it as it solidify's so that it does not become mushy
What is the difference between salt and soap?
Salt, is used to flavor and preserve food. Soap is used to clean and disinfect
Can you used filtation to separate salt?
No, it cannot separate salt from a salt solution. This is because salt is soluble in water.
How do you separate aluminum powder and salt?
how do you separate aluminum powder and salt
Explain the role of common salt during the preparation of soap?
it hardens the soap
Is soap made from salts?
NO, THERE IS NO SALT IN SOAP!!! ---------------------------------------------------- Sodium Chloride (NaCl) is often called Salt or Table Salt. However, technically it is only one type of salt. In Chemistry, a salt is any ionically bonded compound. Lye Soap is a type of soap formed by an ionic bond between Sodium (Na+) and the conjugate base of a fatty acid (ROO-) ROO-Na+ And thus, Lye Soap IS A SALT. Salts will dissociate into their ionic constituents in water. Soap is not required for that step.
