Soaps and detergents
Carbon Compounds (School Level) · Chemistry
Study notes
Explain how soap cleans an oily stain. Step 1: Soap molecule has two ends: hydrophilic head (loves water) and hydrophobic tail (loves oil). Step 2: Tails bury into the oil drop; heads face outward into water. Step 3: This forms a micelle — oil trapped inside, water-friendly outside. Step 4: Rinsing washes the micelles away, oil gone. In hard water, Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ react with soap forming insoluble scum instead.