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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: martina86 on February 08, 2014, 02:35:12 PM

Title: SOAP (sodium palmitate)
Post by: martina86 on February 08, 2014, 02:35:12 PM

Hay, can you tell me what is the function of sodium ion in soap? I know that carbohydrate chain reacts with grease and that carboxylate ion reacts with water, but what does the Na-ion does?

Thank you :-)

Title: Re: SOAP (sodium palmitate)
Post by: zsinger on February 08, 2014, 02:37:06 PM

Counter Ion.

Title: Re: SOAP (sodium palmitate)
Post by: martina86 on February 08, 2014, 03:03:49 PM

so, simply speaking it increases the solubility and gives the anion the opposite charge, so that the molecule is neutral?

(exceuse me for my poor english :-) )

Title: Re: SOAP (sodium palmitate)
Post by: Borek on February 08, 2014, 04:03:04 PM

In a way. Otherwise you will have an uncharged molecule of acid, with much lower solubility.

Title: Re: SOAP (sodium palmitate)
Post by: PhDoc on February 08, 2014, 04:45:07 PM

Please look up the term "micelle." How many soaps contain carbohydrates? What's the typical functional group in a soap? How about a detergent?