Why does micelle formation takes place when soap is added to water will a micelle be formed in other solvents such as ethanol also?

Question

Answer

Answer

A soap is a sodium or potassium salt of long chain fatty acids. It has one polar end and one non-polar end. The polar end is hydrophilic in nature (this end is attracted towards water). The non-polar end is hydrophobic (it is attracted towards hydrocarbons). When soap is added to water, soap molecules arrange themselves in a cluster to keep the non-polar portion out of water such that the non-polar ends are in the interior of the cluster and the polar ends are on the surface of the cluster. Since the dirt present on clothes is organic in nature and insoluble in water, the hydrophobic ends of the clusters attach themselves to the dirt. This cluster formation in which the dirt is entrapped is the micelle. Micelle formation does not take place in ethanol because the alkyl chain of soap becomes soluble in alcohol. Micelles can be formed only around suspended molecules of oil in a mixture. Ethanol is a very good solvent and it can even dissolve oil to form a clear solution.

Answer

Soap molecule has two ends, one is hydrophilic and it dissolves in water,  while the other end is hydrophobic and it dissolves in hydrocarbons. when soap is at the surface of water , the hydrophobic tail of soap will not be soluble in water and the soap will align along the surface of water with the ionic end in water and the hydrocarbon tail pointing out of water.  Inside water, these molecules have a unique orientation which keeps the hydrocarbon portion out of the water. This is achieved due to the formation clusters of molecules in which the hydrophobic tails are in the interior of the cluster and the ionic ends are on the surface of the cluster. This information is called a micelle. such micelles can be formed in other polar solvents like ethanol.

Answer

Explanation:

When soap is added to water, micelle formation takes place. This is due to the fact that soaps are amphiphilic in nature, which means they have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts. The hydrophobic part of the soap molecule is attracted to the dirt and oil, while the hydrophilic part is attracted to the water.

Micelle Formation:
Micelle formation is a process that occurs when soap is added to water. When soap molecules are added to water, they arrange themselves in a particular way due to their amphiphilic nature. The hydrophobic tails of the soap molecules are attracted to each other, while the hydrophilic heads are attracted to the water molecules. This causes the formation of micelles.

Micelle Formation in Other Solvents:
Micelle formation also occurs in other solvents such as ethanol. However, the formation of micelles is dependent on the solubility of the soap in the solvent. If the soap is not soluble in the solvent, micelle formation will not occur.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, micelle formation occurs when soap is added to water due to the amphiphilic nature of the soap molecules. Micelle formation can also occur in other solvents such as ethanol, but it is dependent on the solubility of the soap in the solvent.

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