MolSynapsequestion bank
MolSynapse / Question bank / Chemistry in Everyday Life / Cleansing agents: soaps and detergents
JEE Main levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 2 of 3el042

In a soap micelle in water,

  1. Athe carboxylate heads point inward and the hydrocarbon tails face the water
  2. Ball heads and tails lie in a flat layer with no inside
  3. Cthe hydrocarbon tails point inward around the grease and the carboxylate heads face the water
  4. Dthe ions sit at the centre of the micelle

Answer: C

The hydrocarbon tail is hydrophobic and dissolves in grease; the ionic carboxylate head is hydrophilic and faces the water. The tails therefore cluster inside and the heads form the outer surface.
Practice Chemistry in Everyday Life More on Cleansing agents: soaps and detergents
Previous questionNext question

More questions on Cleansing agents: soaps and detergents