Foaming Capacity of different soaps and 

Effect of sodium carbonate on the foaming capacity

B Y: N AV N I T H N R E D D Y
11 S C I
Foaming capacity of different soaps
 Soap is an anionic surfactant used in conjunction with water for washing and cleaning, which
historically comes either in solid bars or in the form of a viscous liquid.
Soap consists of sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids and is obtained by reacting common oils
or fats with a strong alkaline in a process known as saponification.
The fats are hydrolyzed by the base, yielding alkali salts of fatty acids (crude soap) and glycerol.
Soaps are useful for cleaning because soap molecules have both a hydrophilic end, which
dissolves in water, as well as a hydrophobic end, which is able to dissolve non polar grease
molecules.
 Applied to a soiled surface, soapy water effectively holds particles in colloidal suspension so it
can be rinsed off with clean water.
 The hydrophobic portion (made up of a long hydrocarbon chain) dissolves dirt and oils, while the
ionic end dissolves in water. The resultant forms a round structure called micelle. Therefore, it
allows water to remove normally-insoluble matter by emulsification.
Theory
The foaming capacity of soap depends upon the nature of the soap and its concentration. This
may be compared by shaking equal volumes of solutions of different samples having the same
concentration with the same force for the same amount of time.
 The solutions are then allowed to stand when the foam produced during shaking disappears
gradually.
 The time taken for the foam to disappear in each sample is determined. The longer the time taken
for the disappearance of the foam for the given sample of soap, greater is its foaming capacity or
cleansing action.
General reaction:

 
experiment
 Requirements: Five 100ml conical flasks, five test tubes, 100ml measuring cylinder, test
tube stand, weighing machine, stopwatch, Five different soap samples, tap water.

Procedure:

 1. Take five 100ml conical flasks and number them 1, 2,3,4,5. Put 16ml of water in each
flask and add 8 Gm of soap. 
2. Warm the contents to get a solution. 
3. Take five test tubes; add 1ml of soap solution to 3ml of water. Repeat the process for
each soap solution in different test tubes.
4. Close the mouth of the test tube and shake vigorously for a minute. Do the same for all
test tubes and with equal force.
 5. Start the timer immediately and notice the rate of disappearance of 2mm of froth.
observation
Test tube Volume of soap Volume of water added Time taken for disappearance
no. and solution of 2mm of foam
soap
1.Dove 8ml 20ml 10 minutes 7 seconds
2.Lux 8ml 20ml 3 minutes 46 seconds
3. Tetmosol 8ml 20ml 7 minutes 32 seconds
4.Santoor 8ml 20ml 17 minutes 15 seconds
5.Cinthol 8ml 20ml 9 minutes 4 seconds
Conclusion
The cleansing capacity of the soaps taken is in the order:
 
Santoor > Dove > Cinthol > Tetmosol > Lux

From this experiment, we can infer that Santoor has the highest foaming capacity, in other
words, highest cleaning capacity.

 Lux, on the other hand, is found to have taken the least amount of time for the disappearance of
foam produced and thus is said to be having the least foaming capacity and cleansing capacity.

So we can say from this experiment foaming capacity depends  upon the nature of the soap
and its concentration.
 Effect of Sodium Carbonate on the foaming capacity of soaps

Calcium and magnesium ions present in the tap water interfere in the foaming capacity of soap. These ions
combine with soap and form insoluble calcium and magnesium salts which get precipitated

Therefore, the presence of these ions affect the foaming capacity of soap and hence their cleaning capacity.
When sodium carbonate is added to the tap water, calcium and magnesium ions gets precipitated as their
carbonates in the presence of sodium carbonate

Foaming capacity of the water increases. In order determine the effect of sodium carbonate on the foaming
capacity of a sample of soap it is first shaken with distilled water there with top water and finally with top water
containing equal volume of sodium carbonate solution and then the time taken for disappearance of foam it noted
Experiment
Materials Required:
 (a) 40ml test tubes, test tube stand, stopwatch. 
(b)  Soap solution, distilled water, tap water and m/10 Na2Co3 solution.

Procedure
1. Take three 40ml test tubes and label them as 1,2 and A,B and C. To test tube A add 30ml of
distilled water, to test tube B add 30 ml of distilled water, to test tube C add 30ml of tap water 5ml of
sodium carbonate solution. 
2. Add 8ml of soap solution to each tube. 
3. Cork test tube A tightly and shake vigorously for 1minute. Place the test tube on the test tube
stand and start the stopwatch immediately. Note the taken for the disappearance of foam. 
4. Repeat the same procedure for test tube B and C, rate the time taken for the disappearance of
foam.
Observation

Tube no Water used Volume of soap used Time taken for disappearance
of 2mm of foam
1 30ml of tap water 8ml 13 minutes 45 seconds
2 30ml of distilled water 8ml 24 minutes 56 seconds
3 30ml of water with 5ml of sodium 8ml 35 minutes 30 seconds
carbonate solution
Conclusion
Normal tap water had less foam than the distilled water.
When sodium carbonate is added to tap water the foaming capacity increased than the distilled
water.
So we can say that addition of sodium carbonate has an effect on the foaming.
Thank You