Question

Which of the following statement is not true for soap?

(a) Soaps are biodegradable.

(b) Soaps can not be used in acidic medium.

(c) Soaps form a white curdy precipitate.

(d) Soaps are relatively stronger in their cleaning action than synthetic detergents.

Answer 1

(d) Soaps are relatively stronger in their cleaning action than synthetic detergents.

Soaps cannot be used in acidic conditions because they tend to lose their cleansing ability due to the formation of insoluble long-chain fatty acids. The pH of these fatty acids will then decrease to less than 7, which is bad for clothes.