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JEE Main levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 2 of 3el174

Ordinary soaps lose their cleansing action in strongly acidic water mainly because

  1. Athe hydrocarbon tail is oxidised by the acid
  2. Bthe soap undergoes saponification again
  3. Cthe carboxylate anions are protonated to the long-chain acid, which is poorly soluble and does not form micelles
  4. Dthe sodium ions are removed as sodium chloride

Answer: C

Fatty acids are weak acids, so in acid . The neutral acid is only sparingly soluble and does not carry the charged head needed for micelle formation. The other explanations have no chemical basis.
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