i. A soap molecule has two ends having different properties. The ionic end of the molecule is hydrophilic and it dissolves in water, while the hydrocarbon ‘tail’ of the molecule is hydrophobic and it dissolve in hydrocarbons. (i.e., it is insoluble in water.)
ii. When soap is added to water, the soap molecules form clusters in which the hydrophobic ends are in the interior of the cluster while the hydrophilic ends are on the surface of the cluster. Such a spherical formation is called a micelle.
iii. Micelle formation does not occur in ethanol since soap is soluble in ethanol.
