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Both soap and detergent are same type of...

Both soap and detergent are same type of salts. What is the difference between them ? Describe in brief the cleansing action of soap. Why do soaps not form lather in hard water?

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Soaps are sodium or potassium salts of long chain carboxylic acids.
Detergents and antingnium or sulphonate salts.
Cleaning action of soap : One part of soap molecule ionic/hydrophilic and dissolves in water. The other part is non-ionic/carbon chain/hydrophobic part which dissolves in oil.
Thus soap molecules arrange themselves in the form of a micelle/diagram of a micelle.
On rinsing with water soap is washed on the oily dirt particles with it Soap does not form lather in hard water because of the reaction of soap with Ca and Mgions present in hard water which forms insoluble precipitate scum.
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