English
Tamil Nadu Board of Secondary EducationSSLC (English Medium) Class 6

Detergents

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Topics

  • Detergent and Its Working
  • Experiment

Detergent and Its Working:

The word ‘detergent’ comes from the Latin word ‘detergere,’ meaning ‘to wipe away’. Detergents are substances used to clean and remove dirt. Some examples of detergents include soap nut (reetha), soap pod (shikakai), soap, washing powder, washing soda, liquid soap and shampoo.

Natural Detergents:

  • Soap nut (Ritha) and soap pod (Shikakai) are examples of natural detergents.
  • They contain a natural chemical called saponin, which creates foam and helps remove dirt and grease.
  • These natural detergents are gentle on the skin and do not cause any harm.
  • They are also safe for delicate fabrics like silk and wool, making them ideal for washing sensitive clothes.

Working of Detergent

  • The molecules of a detergent are long, and the properties of its two ends are different. A molecule of a detergent holds on to a water molecule at one end and an oil molecule at the other.
  • As a result, the molecules of oil mix with the water. This is how soap acts when we wash ourselves or our soiled clothes. Our body and clothes become oily for various reasons, such as applying gels or creams, oiling our hair, etc.
  • The oily layer sticks fast to the crisscrossing threads of the material of our clothes. Soap is used for removing it. Due to the property of holding on to both oil and water, soap water spreads easily on many types of surfaces.
  • The property of a substance of spreading on a surface is called surface activity, and the substance is said to be a surfactant. Detergents are surface active. One effect of surface activity is lather formation.

Action of detergents

Experiment

1. Aim: To demonstrate how detergent helps mix oil and water, forming a uniform mixture.

2. Requirements: a clean glass bottle, water, oil (any cooking oil), and detergent solution.

3. Procedure

  • Take some water in a clean glass bottle.
  • Add a small amount of oil to the water.
  • Observe that the oil forms a separate layer on top of the water (oil floats).
  • Shake the bottle vigorously and let it settle. You will notice that the oil floats back on the water again.
  • Now add a few drops of detergent solution to the same mixture.
  • Shake the bottle again vigorously.
  • Observe that the mixture becomes uniform (homogeneous) and looks milky.

4. Conclusion: Without detergent, oil and water remain separate because oil is lighter and does not mix with water. When detergent is added, it breaks down the oil into tiny droplets, allowing it to mix with water. This shows that detergent helps oil and water form a stable mixture by acting as a bridge between them.

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