English

Why Are Soaps Not Suitable for Washing Clothes When the Water is Hard? - Science

Advertisements
Advertisements

Question

Why are soaps not suitable for washing clothes when the water is hard?

Solution

Soap does not work properly when the water is hard. A soap is a sodium or potassium salt of long chain fatty acids. Hard water contains salts of calcium and magnesium. When soap is added to hard water, calcium and magnesium ions present in water displace sodium or potassium ions from the soap molecules forming an insoluble substance called scum. A lot of soap is wasted in the process.

shaalaa.com
  Is there an error in this question or solution?
2010-2011 (March) Delhi Set 3

Video TutorialsVIEW ALL [2]

RELATED QUESTIONS

In the neighbourhood of your school, hard water required for an experiment is not available. Select from the following group of salts available in your school, a group each member of which, if dissolved in distilled water, will make it hard:

(a) Sodium chloride, calcium chloride

(b) Potassium chloride, sodium chloride

(c) Sodium chloride, magnesium chloride

(d) Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride


A student took four test tubes P, Q, R and S and filled about 8 mL of distilled water in each. After that he dissolved an equal amount of Na2SO4 in P, K2SO4 in Q, CaSO4 in R and MgSO4 in S. On adding an equal amount of soap solution and shaking each test tube well, a good amount of lather will be obtained in the test tubes:

(a) P and Q
(b) P and R
(c) P, Q and S
(d) Q, R and S


Fill in the following blank with suitable word:

The sodium salt of a long chain fatty acid is called .............


Explain the process of preparation of soap in laboratory.


What is a detergent? Name one detergent.


Consider the following oils :

(I) Mobil oil

(II) Castor oil

(III) Turpentine oil

(IV) Kerosene

(V) Mustard oil

(VI) Coconut oil

Which of these can be used for prepartion of soap?

(a) I, II, III, VI

(b) II, V, VI

(c) II, III, V, VI

(d) II, III, VI


A student takes 4 mL of distilled water in each of four test tubes I, II, III and IV, and then dissolves an equal amount of four different salts namely NaCl in I, CaCl2 in II, MgCl2 in III and KCl in IV. He then adds 8 drops of the given soap solution to each test tube and shakes the contents of the test tube 10 times. In which test tubes will enough lather (foam) be formed ?
(A) I and II
(B) II and III
(C) I and IV
(D) III and IV


What are the differences between Soap and synthetic detergent?


What are the three main constituents of soap?


Why do soaps not work effectively in hard water?


Share
Notifications

Englishहिंदीमराठी


      Forgot password?
Use app×