Which is more effective as a soap???

Question

It's a Homework question but
here it is....
Which is more effective, sodium acetate or sodium stearate ??
Please help i have no clue..

Answer 1

the stearate is soapy. I think sodium acetate is all ionic and won't dissolve fat.

Answer 2

Sodium Stearate

Answer 3

Here is the most important rule regarding solubility:

"Like dissolves like" - Meaning that polar compounds (like sodium acetate and stearic acid) tend to dissolve in other polar compounds (like water) while non-polar compounds (like oil and grease from the skin) tend to dissolve in other non-polar compounds (like non-polar hydrocarbons, diethyl ether, gasoline, waxes, and oils).

The thing that makes "soap" effective to rinse away oil and dirt from the skin is its dual solubility. It has the ability to dissolve oil and grease into itself while at the same time being soluble in water so that it can be rinsed away.

The solid salt sodium acetate (NaC2H3O2) is ionically bonded, and the polarity of the ionic bond means that it will dissolve in water. However, it will not dissolve in many non-polar substances, nor will it help dissolve non-polar oils and fats from the skin.

Sodium stearate NaCH3(CH2)16COO is a sodium carboxylate salt, and all sodium salts are soluble in water. The stearate part is a long chain hydrocarbon carboxylate (very much non-polar except for the polar carboxylate part). The non-polar hydrocarbon chain is responsible for dissolving non-polar oils from the skin. The ability of sodium stearate to dissolve in water while dissolving grease and oil from the skin makes it a fine soap.

Check the label on the next bar of soap you use, and it is almost guaranteed to contain sodium stearate (or another compound containing an alkali metal bonded to a long chain hydrocarbon carboxylate).

Answer 4

Sodium Palmitate Solubility

Answer 5

[edit] Soap
When drinks is used for washing, it dissolves dirt; but some dirt does not dissolve in water. Soap helps water to remove dirt. Soap nut powder has been used by man for about 3,000 years. Metallic salts which are prepared from natural fats are called soaps.
Fatty acids are organic compounds. The molecules of these compounds contain a carboxyl group {-COOH}. These molecules react with a trihydric alcohol called glycerol to form a class of compounds called esters. Groundnut oil, coconut oil, palm oil, caster oil, animal fat etc are all esters of fatty acids. Fats and fatty oils are called glyceryl esters or triglycerides.

Soap is a sodium salt or potassium salt of long chain fatty acids that has cleansing action in water. Sodium stearate, sodium oliate and sodium palmitate are some examples of soaps. Stearic acid is a long chain fatty acid whose formula is C17H35COOH it reacts with sodium hydroxide to give a compound called sodium stearate, which has properties of soap. Similarly, sodium hydroxide reacts with oleic acid and palmitic acid forming sodium oleate (C17H33COONa) and sodium palmitate (C17H31COONa) respectively.
A Swedish chemist, Carl Wilhelm Scheel accidentally discovered the process of preparation of soap in 1783. He boiled olive oil with lead oxide and obtained a substance which was

sweet to taste. This substance is now known as glycerine.

Glycerol is a sweet viscous liquid soluble in water which is a by-product of saponification process. It is commonly called glycerine. Its formula is CH2OH.CHOH.CH2OH. It is used in the manufacture of explosives, plastics, and pharmaceutical industries. It is also used to prevent freezing.


[edit] How does soap clean
Soap dissolves in water due to the contrasting properties of the ends of the soap molecules. A soap molecule has a long hydrocarbon end [E.g.CH3(CH2)16] and a short ionic end containing COONa+. The non-ionic hydrocarbon end has the property to repel water. The other end, which is ionic, has the property to attract water. This end attaches itself to water. The hydrocarbon end attaches to the dirt or grease to form structures called ‘micelles’.

Answer 6

The more carbons the chain contains the more polar the molecule will be (usually).

C18 the stearate is the longer......size does matter in chemistry!!!! no pun intended....maybe a little....

Answer 7

sodium stearate is most effective.

Answer 8

the second one.