Question

Which statements accurately describe soap? Select one or more:

Answer 1

Answer:

A. Soaps react with ions in hard water to create a precipitate.

B. Soaps are both hydrophobic and hydrophilic.

D. Soaps should be weakly alkaline in solution.

Explanation:

A. Hard water contains magnesium and calcium minerals like calcium and magnesium carbonates, sulfates and bicarbonates. As soon as these minerals come in contact with soap their ions like Mg²⁺ & Ca²⁺ form precipitates.

B. Soap are both hydrophilic and hydrophobic. They reason why they exhibit both the properties is really important for their functionality. The hydrophobic part of soap makes interaction with oil/dust particles while the hydrophilic part makes interaction with water. When the cloth is rinsed the dirt/soap particles are removed from the dirty clothes thereby making them clean.

C. Soaps have alkaline pH i.e. more than 7 that is why they have bitter taste.