Mon Prof Augmenté
Soap Molecules and Oil
Age 12 · Chemistry
Soap molecules have a round head that mixes with water and a wavy tail that mixes with oil. They gather around an oil droplet, with tails inside and heads outside, so water can carry the whole cluster away.
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In the picture
- The oil droplet: a yellow blob that grease and oil form.
- The round head: the water-loving end of a soap molecule.
- The wavy tail: the oil-loving end that sits inside the droplet.
- The water: the blue liquid around the cluster.
- The current: the moving stream that carries the cluster along.
Examples
- Washing a greasy frying pan with dish soap.
- Shampoo lifting oils from hair.
Key takeaways
- Soap molecules have one end that mixes with water and one end that mixes with oil.
- The soap cluster lets water lift grease away instead of leaving it on a surface.
Quiz: Soap Molecules and Oil (Age 12)
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What makes a soap molecule able to work on both water and oil?
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When soap molecules cluster around an oil droplet, where do their wavy tails sit?
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Why does soap help water remove grease from a surface?
The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.
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