Investigatory
Project
Name: Maanya N. Shah
Std: 11
Div: Science
Roll No : 13
Subject: Chemistry
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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 contain Hydrophobic and
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 that are 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. This hardness can be removed by addition of
Sodium Carbonate.
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
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disappearance of the foam for the given sample of soap, greater is its foaming
capacity or cleansing action.
Apparatus 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 1,2,3,4,5. Put 16ml of
water in each flask and add 8 grams of soap.
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.
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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.
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6. Record the observation in tabular form
Observation
The following outcomes were noticed at the end of the experiment
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.
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