Sodium or potassium salt of long chain carboxylic acid is known as which of the following?

The correct answer is Soap.

Key Points

• Sodium or potassium salts of long chain carboxylic acids are commonly referred to as soaps.
• Soaps are produced through a chemical process called saponification, where fats and oils react with a base.
• In the saponification process, triglycerides (fats/oils) are hydrolyzed to produce glycerol and soap.
• Soaps are effective in cleaning because they are surfactants, which means they lower the surface tension of water, allowing it to mix with oils and dirt.

Additional Information

• Micelle:
  • A micelle is an aggregate of surfactant molecules dispersed in a liquid colloid forming a molecular assembly.
  • Micelles are formed when the concentration of surfactant molecules exceeds the critical micelle concentration (CMC).
  • They play a key role in the cleansing action of soaps and detergents by trapping grease and dirt.
• Detergents:
  • Detergents are synthetic cleaning agents, typically made from petrochemicals.
  • Unlike soaps, detergents can perform well in hard water as they do not form scum.
  • Detergents are also surfactants and work by emulsifying oils and dirt.
• Saponification:
  • Saponification is a chemical reaction that produces soap from fats/oils and an alkali.
  • The reaction results in the formation of glycerol and soap.
  • This process is crucial in traditional soap making and industrial soap production.
• Surfactants:
  • Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids or a liquid and a solid.
  • They are the active agents in soaps and detergents that enable them to clean effectively.
  • Surfactants can be classified as anionic, cationic, nonionic, or amphoteric based on their charge.