Question

Explain micelle formation in soap solution.

Answer 1

• Soap molecule has a long hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain called tail which is attached to hydrophilic ionic carboxylate group, called head.
• In water, the soap molecules arrange themselves to form spherical particles that are called micelles.
• In each micelle, the hydrophobic tails of soap molecules point to the centre and the hydrophilic heads lie on the surface of the sphere.
• As a result of this, soap dispersion in water is stable.