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Soap will lower the surface tension of water. Like any surfactant soap will lower the surface energy by disrupting the strong inter-molecular hydrogen bonding that confers such a strong surface tension to water.

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9y ago
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9y ago

Soap reduces the surface tension of water by disrupting the hydrogen bonds between the water molecules.

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11y ago

it reduces the cohesive properties of water molecules

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15y ago

soap reduces the surface tension of water by disrupting the hydrogen bonds between the water molecules

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Q: Why does soap reduce the surface tension of water?
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Related questions

How does soap effects the surface tension if water?

the surface tension has bonds, and the soap breaks those bonds, so if the soap water is put onto a surface.. it will slip off


Why does dawn dish soap repel pepper?

Soap breaks the surface tension of water. Pepper will only float where there is strong surface tension.


How does liquid soap affect the surface tension of water?

it affects the surface tension because of its temperture


True or false Addition of a detergent to water increases the surface tension of the water?

False. When detergent or soap is added to water then it surface tension decreases.


Why does the pepper run away when soap is added?

Soap disrupts the surface tension of water. So if you have fine particles floating in water (I personally use parsley flakes, which float better than pepper does) and you put a tiny trace of soap on your finger, and then touch the water, it breaks the surface tension at that point - but the surface tension of the water on the OTHER side of the flake is unchanged. The surface tension pulls the flakes away from the soap. So the flakes aren't running away - they are being released from the surface tension!


Which has more surface tension clean water or soapy water?

Yes, pure water is a one molecule based structure, which hold together better than a mixture. When soap or other chemical is added, it breaks surface tension by getting in the way of each water molecule. Try putting water drops on a penny to build a bubble, then add a small drop of soap to it, you'll see that when soap is added, the water bubble collapses.


How does soap affects the surface tension of water?

soap breaks the surface tension of water, because it interrupts the cohesive forces between the water molecules on the surface. a particularly sadistic test for this is to have a pondskater in a bowl of clear water. the pondskater 'walks' on the water because it is light enough to be supported by the surface tension of the water. drop a drop of fairy liquid into the bowl. the moment the fairy liquid touches the water, the pondskater will sink and drown, because the surface tension of the water has been disrupted and so the pondskater cannot support itself on the now nonexistant surface tension.


Why are soaps detergents harmful to the environment?

Soap detergents are harmful to the environment because they reduce the surface tension of the water. Once this happens, aquatic life will absorb the phenols, pesticides and other pollutants in the water.


7 Can the water strider remain afloat in a high concentration of soap solution?

No. It cannot remain afloat in a high concentration of soap solution. The water strider relies on a property of water called surface tension. This is what keeps the creature above the water. In a soap solution, there is reduced surface tension and the strider would drown


Is soap the only substance that can break the waters surface tension?

detergents and water striders can also do that.


How does bubble form?

Can you blow a bubble with pure water? NO WAY... because the surface tension of the water does not allow you to do so.Can you blow a bubble with soap-water solution? YES...Soap molecules contain hydrophobic chains that do not wish to stay in water. so they squeeze out to the surface of water and increases the gap between the water molecules on the surface, there by decreasing the surface tension of the water. With surface tension decreased you can blow a bubble.Here you can ask one more question...Why are Bubbles always spherical and not cuboid or some other shape?


Why does oil in a bowl of water get repelled when washing liquid is dropped on it?

The oil is not repelled. It is floating on the surface of the water as a thin film. Water has very high surface tension, but when soap or detergent is added to water that surface tension suddenly drops. The water surface now contracts like a punctured rubber sheet toward the remaining area of high surface tension, dragging the oil film floating on its surface with it.