INTRODUCTION

Soaps are sodium or potassium salts of higher fatty acids like stearic, palmitic and
oleic acids can be either saturated or unsaturated.
They contain a long hydrocarbon chain of about 10-20 carbon with one carboxylic
acid group as the functional group.
A soap molecule a tadpole shaped structure, whose ends have different polarities.
At one end is the long hydrocarbon chain that is non-polar and hydrophobic, i.e.,
insoluble in water but oil soluble.
At the other end is the short polar carboxylate ion which is hydrophilic i.e., water
soluble but insoluble in oil and grease.
Long Hydrocarbon Chain Hydrophobic end Hydrophilic end.
When soap is shaken with water it becomes a soap solution that is colloidal in
nature.
Agitating it tends to concentrate the solution on the surface and causes foaming.
This helps the soap molecules make a unimolecular film on the surface of water
and to penetrate the fabric.
The long non-polar end of a soap molecule thatare hydrophobic, gravitate towards
and surround the dirt (fat or oil with dust absorbed in it).
The short polar end containing the carboxylate ion, face the water away from the
dirt.
A number of soap molecules surround or encircle dirt and grease in a clustered
structure called 'micelles', which encircles such particles and emulsify them.
Cleansing action of soaps decreases in hard water.

Hard water contains Calcium and magnesium ions which react with sodium
carbonate to produce
insoluble carbonates of higher fatty acids.
2C17H35COONa +Ca2+ (C17H35COO) 2 Ca +2Na+ (Water soluble) (ppt.)
2C17H35COONa + Mg2+ (C17H35COO) 2 Mg +2Na+
This hardness can be removed by addition of Sodium Carbonate.
Ca2++ Na2CO3 CaCO3 + 2Na+Mg2++ Na2CO3 MgCO3 + 2Na+

Introduction to the experiment

Soap samples of various brands are taken and their foaming capacity is noticed.
Various soap samples are taken separately and their foaming capacity is observed.
The soap with the maximum foaming capacity is thus, said to be having the best
cleaning capacity. The test requires to be done with distilled water as well as with
tap water. The test of soap on distilled water gives the actual strength of the soaps
cleaning capacity. The second test with tap water tests the effect of Ca2+ and
Mg2+ salts on their foaming capacities.

Objective: To compare the foaming capacity of various soaps.

Theory: The foaming capacity of soap depends upon the nature of the soap and its
concentration. This may be compared by shaking equal volumes of solutions of
different samples having the same concentration with same force for the same
amount of time. The solutions are then allowed to stand when the foam produced
during shaking disappears gradually. The time taken for the foam to disappear in
each sample is determined. The longer the time taken for the disappearance of the
foam for the given sample of soap, greater is its foaming capacity or cleansing
action.

Requirements: Five 100ml conical flasks, five test tubes, 100ml measuring
cylinder, test tube stand, weighing machine, stop watch.

Chemical Requirements: Five different soap samples, distilled water, tap water.

Procedure:
1. Take five 100ml conical flasks and number them 1,
water in each flask and add 8 Gms of soap.

2,3,4,5. Put 16ml of

2. Warm the contents to get a solution.

3. Take five test tubes; add 1ml of soap solution to 3ml of water. Repeat the
process for each soap solution in different test tubes.

4. Close the mouth of the test tube and shake vigorously for a minute. Do the same
for all test tubes and with equal force.

5. Start the timer immediately and notice the rate of disappearance of 2mm of
froth.

Observations: The following outcomes were noticed at the end of the experiment

Test tube no.

Vol. of soap
solution

Vol. of water
added

1. Dove

8ml

16ml

Time taken for

disappearance of
2mm
1142

2. Lux

8ml

16ml

328

3. Tetmosol

8ml

16ml

510

4. Santoor

8ml

16ml

1532

5. Cinthol

8ml

16ml

940

Result
The cleansing capacity of the soaps taken is in the order:
Santoor > Dove > Cinthol > Tetmosol > Lux
From this experiment, we can infer that Santoor has the highest foaming capacity,
in other words, highest cleaning capacity.
Lux, on the other hand is found to have taken the least amount of time for the
disappearance of foam produced and thus is said to be having the least foaming
capacity and cleansing capacity.
Test for hardness in water
Test for Ca2+ and Mg2+ salts in the water supplied
Test for Ca2+ in water H2O +NH4Cl + NH4OH + (NH4)2CO3 No precipitate Test
for Mg2+ in water

H2O +NH4Cl + NH4OH + (NH4)3PO4

No precipitate
The tests show negative results for the presence of the salts causing hardness in
water. The water used does not contain salts of Ca2+ and Mg2+. The tap water
provided is soft and thus, the experimental results and values hold good for
distilled water and tap water.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
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