Chemistry Project to Compare the Foaming Capacity of Soaps

Chemistry Project to Compare the Foaming Capacity of Soaps

Aim: To compare the foaming capacities of five different commercial soaps.

Apparatus: 5 test tubes, 5 conical flasks (100 ml), test tube stand, Bunsen burner and stop watch.

Chemicals Required: 5 different samples of soap and distilled water.

Theory:

• The foaming capacity of a soap sample depends upon the nature of soap and its concentration.
• This can be compared for various samples of soaps by taking the same concentration of solution and shaking them.
• The foam is formed and the time taken for disappearance of foam in all cases is compared.
• The lesser the time taken by a solution for the disappearance of foam, the lower is its foaming capacity.

Procedure:

1. Five conical flasks (100 ml each) are taken and numbered 1 to 5.
2. In each of these flasks equal amounts (say 5 gm) of the given samples of soap shavings or granules are taken and 50 ml of distilled water is added.
3. Each conical flask is heated for a few minutes to dissolve all the soap completely.
4. In a test-tube stand, five big clean and dry test tubes are taken and numbered 1 to 5.
5. One ml of the five soap solutions is then poured in the test tubes of corresponding number.
6. 10 ml of distilled water is then added to each test tube.
7. Test tube no. 1 is then shaken vigorously 5 times.
8. The foam would be formed in the empty space above the container.
9. Stop watch is started immediately and the time taken for the disappearance of foam is noted.
10. Similarly the other test tubes are shaken vigorously for equal number of times (i.e., 5 times) with approximately the same force and the time taken for the disappearance of foam in each case is recorded.

• The lesser the time taken for the disappearance of foam, the lower is the foaming capacity.

Observation:

Amount of each soap sample taken = 5 gm Amount of distilled water taken = 50 ml Volume of each soap solution taken = 1 ml Volume of distilled water added = 10 ml

S. No.	Name of the Soap	Time taken for disappearance of foam (in secs)
1
2
3
4
5

Result:

The foaming capacities and hence the washing action of different soap samples are in the order: