📚 CBSE Grade-10 Study Guide Open in the Study Guide single page app →
HomeScience

Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Q1. [5]
Answer the following:
  1. (i) With the help of diagram, show the formation of micelles, when soap is applied on oily dirt.
  2. (ii) Take two test tubes X and Y with 10 mL of hard water in each. In test tube 'X', add few drops of soap solution and in test tube 'Y' add a few drops of detergent solution. Shake both the test tubes for the same period. (1) In which test tube the formation of foam will be more ? Why ? (2) In which test tube is a curdy solid formed ? Why ?
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2023 31/1/1 Q34(b)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:51 · grounding rag
Model Answer

(i) Formation of Micelles:

Soap molecules have a hydrophilic (water-loving) head and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) tail. When soap is applied on oily dirt, the hydrophobic tails dissolve into the oil/grease, while the hydrophilic heads remain in water. Soap molecules arrange themselves around the oil droplet forming a micelle.

Diagram:

```
Water
↑↑↑↑↑ ← Hydrophilic heads (–)
||||
[OIL] ← Hydrophobic tails inside
||||
↑↑↑↑↑
Water
```
(Circular cluster: tails pointing inward toward oil, heads pointing outward toward water)

The micelle keeps oil suspended in water and is washed away easily.

---

(ii)

(1) Foam will be more in test tube Y (detergent).

Detergents work effectively in hard water because they do not react with calcium or magnesium ions present in it, so they continue to produce foam freely.

(2) A curdy white solid (scum) is formed in test tube X (soap).

Soap reacts with calcium and magnesium salts present in hard water to form an insoluble precipitate called scum (curdy solid). This reduces soap's cleansing ability and produces no lather.

---

Explanation
If a question refers to an image, map, graph or diagram that is not shown here, open the Study Guide single page app, go to Library and find the actual CBSE question paper. The original papers are also available on the CBSE website: cbse.gov.in.
Previous-year CBSE Grade 10 board exam questions, organised by subject and chapter, each with a model answer — free to read and print.