Answer to Question #167611 in General Chemistry for rylee

Question

What is the electronegativity and bond polarity like in the "head" vs. the "tail" ends of soap?  

Answer 1

The soap consists of 2 parts: "head", which is Sodium (electronegativity = 0.93) or Potassium (electronegativity = 0.82) ion, and "tail", which is a carboxyl group, bonded with a long carbon skeleton. The "head" is positively charged, the "tail" is negatively, because Oxygen, which is located in the carboxyl group, pulls electrons to itself, polarising the molecule and allowing it to be surface-active.