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세탁실

Natural vs. Synthetic Detergent

Materials needed:

4 beakers, 4 glass rods, litmus paper (4 red, 4 blue), 4 pieces of fabric, 2 eggs, coffee powder, distilled water, tablespoon, baking soda, sodium percarbonate, synthetic detergent, white paper, measuring cylinder

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Experiment date: 9/9/24 & 9/16/24

Edited by: Sophia Han

Detergents 8.jpg

Step 1

Get 150mL of water for each of the 4 beakers and break the eggs and stain the 4 pieces of fabric to the same degree as possible. 

Step 2

Use the tablespoon to add ‘detergent’ to the beakers and mix them together using a different glass rod for each of them.

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What is added to each beaker should correspond with the numbers below:

1) Nothing added

2) 3 tablespoons of synthetic detergent

3) 1.5 tablespoons each of baking soda and sodium percarbonate

4) 1 tablespoons of each synthetic detergent, baking soda, and sodium percarbonate

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Step 3

Check the acidity of each solution using litmus paper. For each solution, use 1 blue and 1 red litmus paper. Then, add the stained fabrics into the beakers and stir it the same number of times for each beaker. 

Step 4

Leave it immersed/soaked in the solution for 15 minutes.

Take out the fabrics and observe the difference in the amount of stain that disappeared. 

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Detergents 4.jpg

Step 5

Record the results and repeat the experiment using coffee powder to stain the fabric instead of eggs.

Discussion 1

Written by: Mina Watanabe

Observations:

  • Using the egg: Beaker no. 3 became the cleanest due to a slight lack of caution in ensuring the pieces of fabric were stained to the same degree. 

  • Using coffee powder: Beaker no. 4 became the cleanest.

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Why? Why was Beaker 4 (supposed to be) the cleanest?

Beaker 4 was the cleanest because it contained a combination of synthetic detergent, baking soda, and sodium percarbonate, which all worked together to clean the cloth.

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  1. Synthetic detergent: Acts as a surfactant, breaking down the surface tension of water and helping to lift stains from the fabric.

  2. Baking soda: Helps neutralize odors and slightly increases the alkalinity of the water, which boosts the cleaning power, especially for organic stains.

  3. Sodium percarbonate: When dissolved in water, it releases hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a bleaching agent and breaks down tough stains.

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The combination of these three components creates a more powerful solution, focusing on different aspects of the coffee stain or egg stain, making Beaker 4 the most effective cleaner in this case.

Discussion 2

Written by: Taeseong Yim

Safety Precautions:

  1. WEAR GLOVES - To prevent chemicals from irritating skin

  2. WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES - To prevent splashes from chemicals to the eyes

  3. DISPOSE PROPERLY - Make sure contaminated papers are disposed well

  4. HANDLE GLASSWARE - Do not apply too much force into glass rod

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Hypothesis:

Null - There is no difference in the degree of decontamination between any of the beakers.

Alternate - Beaker 4 results in the highest degree of decontamination.
 

Variables:

I/V - Natural vs Synthetic detergents

D/V - Degree of decontamination

C/V:

  • Volume of water in each beaker (150ml)

  • Size/Type of cloth

  • Concentration of synthetic detergent, baking soda, sodium percarbonate

  • Room temperature

  • Time until observation

  • Intensity of light for vision

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What happened and why?

  • Synthetic Detergents contain phospholipids, an amphipathic lipid formed from a triacylglycerol in which one of the fatty acid groups is replaced by an ionized phosphate group. It is referred to as amphipathic as it has both the hydrophilic part on the head and the hydrophobic region on the tail.

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  • The hydrophobic tail latches onto the fatty, oily egg as both are attracted to each other. The hydrophilic heads face outward toward the water. The hydrophobic tails lift the fat off the cotton as it attracts, and is suspended in water without sticking to the cotton again as they are surrounded by the hydrophilic heads.

 

  • Synthetic detergents were more effective than natural detergents because synthetic detergents contained molecules that could effectively remove stain, such as phospholipids by hydrophobic-hydrophobic attraction, and in addition it also contains enzymes such as proteases and lipases to break down fats and oils into smaller molecules for easier attraction for phospholipids.

Gallery

Photos from the experiment

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