Question

Describe the structure of a soap molecule with the help of a diagram.

Answer 1

A molecule of soap has a tadpole like structure and is made up of two parts, a long hydrocarbon part and a short ionic part. The hydrocarbon part of the soap molecule is soluble in grease and oil but remains insoluble in water (hydrophobic), whereas the short ionic group is soluble in water (hydrophilic) because of the polar nature of the water molecules.
The structure of a soap molecule is as follows: