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2.10 Soaps and Detergents Soaps and enzyme-free detergents belong to a class of compounds called surfactants. They remove dirt and oil from our hands, clothes, and dinnerware, all with no chemi- cal reaction occurring in the process (i.e., no covalent bonds are broken or formed). Instead, the cleansing ability of soaps and detergents depends entirely on intermo- lecular interactions. The molecules specifically responsible for a soap's cleansing properties are typically salts of fatty acids, which are ionic compounds of the form RCO, Na* or RCO, K*. In these compounds, R is a long hydrocarbon chain, and the fatty acid salts generally contain from 12 to 18 carbons. Examples include potassium oleate and sodium palmitate: CH3 CH3 Na H2ha Sodium palmitate C16H3102NA Potassium oleate C18H3302K When a soap dissolves in water, it does so as its individual ions: the metal cation (Na* or K*) and the carboxylate anion (RCO,). Of these two species, the carboxylate anion is the one that is directly responsible for the soap's cleansing properties, because it has vastly different characteristics at its two ends (Fig. 2-26). Specifically:

2.10 Soaps and Detergents Soaps and enzyme-free detergents belong to a class of compounds called surfactants. They remove dirt and oil from our hands, clothes, and dinnerware, all with no chemi- cal reaction occurring in the process (i.e., no covalent bonds are broken or formed). Instead, the cleansing ability of soaps and detergents depends entirely on intermo- lecular interactions. The molecules specifically responsible for a soap's cleansing properties are typically salts of fatty acids, which are ionic compounds of the form RCO, Na* or RCO, K*. In these compounds, R is a long hydrocarbon chain, and the fatty acid salts generally contain from 12 to 18 carbons. Examples include potassium oleate and sodium palmitate: CH3 CH3 Na H2ha Sodium palmitate C16H3102NA Potassium oleate C18H3302K When a soap dissolves in water, it does so as its individual ions: the metal cation (Na* or K*) and the carboxylate anion (RCO,). Of these two species, the carboxylate anion is the one that is directly responsible for the soap's cleansing properties, because it has vastly different characteristics at its two ends (Fig. 2-26). Specifically:

Chemistry
Chemistry
10th Edition
ISBN:9781305957404
Author:Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Donald J. DeCoste
Publisher:Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Donald J. DeCoste
Chapter1: Chemical Foundations
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1RQ: Define and explain the differences between the following terms. a. law and theory b. theory and...
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Recall from Section 2.10 that hard water ions like Ca2+ and Mg2- bind more strongly to the carboxylate groups in soap
than Na+ and K+ ions do. Why do you think this is so?

2.10 Soaps and Detergents Soaps and enzyme-free detergents belong to a class of compounds called surfactants. They remove dirt and oil from our hands, clothes, and dinnerware, all with no chemi- cal reaction occurring in the process (i.e., no covalent bonds are broken or formed). Instead, the cleansing ability of soaps and detergents depends entirely on intermo- lecular interactions. The molecules specifically responsible for a soap's cleansing properties are typically salts of fatty acids, which are ionic compounds of the form RCO, Na* or RCO, K*. In these compounds, R is a long hydrocarbon chain, and the fatty acid salts generally contain from 12 to 18 carbons. Examples include potassium oleate and sodium palmitate: CH3 CH3 Na H2ha Sodium palmitate C16H3102NA Potassium oleate C18H3302K When a soap dissolves in water, it does so as its individual ions: the metal cation (Na* or K*) and the carboxylate anion (RCO,). Of these two species, the carboxylate anion is the one that is directly responsible for the soap's cleansing properties, because it has vastly different characteristics at its two ends (Fig. 2-26). Specifically:
Transcribed Image Text:2.10 Soaps and Detergents Soaps and enzyme-free detergents belong to a class of compounds called surfactants. They remove dirt and oil from our hands, clothes, and dinnerware, all with no chemi- cal reaction occurring in the process (i.e., no covalent bonds are broken or formed). Instead, the cleansing ability of soaps and detergents depends entirely on intermo- lecular interactions. The molecules specifically responsible for a soap's cleansing properties are typically salts of fatty acids, which are ionic compounds of the form RCO, Na* or RCO, K*. In these compounds, R is a long hydrocarbon chain, and the fatty acid salts generally contain from 12 to 18 carbons. Examples include potassium oleate and sodium palmitate: CH3 CH3 Na H2ha Sodium palmitate C16H3102NA Potassium oleate C18H3302K When a soap dissolves in water, it does so as its individual ions: the metal cation (Na* or K*) and the carboxylate anion (RCO,). Of these two species, the carboxylate anion is the one that is directly responsible for the soap's cleansing properties, because it has vastly different characteristics at its two ends (Fig. 2-26). Specifically:
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