What are similarities of soaps and detergents?

Answer 1

One similarity of soaps and detergents is that they have long hydrocarbon tails and polar heads. Hydrocarbon tails make the greasy dirt soluble in water while the polar heads make it compatible with water.

Answer 2

They are alike in their chemical properties.

Answer 2:

They are both surfactants, with molecules that have both a hydrophyllic and a hydrophobic "end" that allows non-polar compounds to become suspended in polar compounds, i.e. "oil and water mixing."

Answer 3

Soaps and Detergents

These are compounds in which one end of the molecule is "hydrophilic"- that is has an affinity for water, while the other end is "hydrophobic", which has an attraction for non-water soluble dirt. This way the hydrophobic end grabs the dirt, and the hydrophilic end gets taken up by water so it can be washed away. Soap is quite low in toxicity. A detergent is a product that contains surfactants and other ingredients. Surfactants, short for surface-active agents, reduce the surface tension of water, making it easier for the water to penetrate and carry away dirt. Detergents are relatively low in toxicity, but a significant number of nonfatal poisonings do occur each year. They are also irritating or sometimes corrosive to the eyes. Some surfactants are toxic to fish, and shouldn't be discharged directly to surface waters.

Answer 4

The methods are similar but the starting materials are usually very different. Both can be made from strong alkalis (like NaOH and KOH), but soaps use long chain carboxylic acids (usually from hydrolyzed fats) and detergents usually use sulphonic acids or other materials.