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Why does micelle formation take place when soap is added to water? Will a micelle be formed in other solvents such as ethanol also?

2 Answers

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Soap molecules have two ends with different properties. One end is hydrophilic, which dissolves in water and other end is hydrophobic, it dissolves in hydrocarbons. When soap is added to water, the ionic end of soap will form a unique orientation and keep the hydrocarbon tail away from it. 

The cluster of molecules is formed in which the hydrophobic tails are in the interior of the cluster and the ionic ends are on the surface of the cluster. Hence, micelle formation takes place. 

Soap is soluble in ethanol hence the micelle formation will not take place.

+3 votes
by (93.7k points)

i. A soap molecule has two ends having different properties. The ionic end of the molecule is hydrophilic and it dissolves in water, while the hydrocarbon ‘tail’ of the molecule is hydrophobic and it dissolve in hydrocarbons. (i.e., it is insoluble in water.)
ii. When soap is added to water, the soap molecules form clusters in which the hydrophobic ends are in the interior of the cluster while the hydrophilic ends are on the surface of the cluster. Such a spherical formation is called a micelle.
iii. Micelle formation does not occur in ethanol since soap is soluble in ethanol.

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