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Expert: Florence M Rollwagen - 8/31/2008


Question
How are bubbles formed when we use soap or shampoo?

Answer
Hi again, Pooja.  Thanks for your questions.

Soap is a molecule that is amphipathic.  That means that it has one end that likes to be in water (hydrophilic) and one end that likes to be in lipid (hydrophobic).  When we use soap, air bubbles get trapped in the soap/water mixture.  The soap stabilizes the air bubble because all the hydrophilic ends gather in the water and all the hydrophobic ends gather in the lipid.  These little structures are called micelles, and, interestingly, follow the same laws of physics that cell membranes do.  In fact, a micelle is like a primitive cell membrane.

Here is a link where you can view the molecular structure of soap:
http://www.edinformatics.com/interactive_molecules/soap.htm

I hope this answer has helped you.  Please write back if you have more questions.

FM Rollwagen, PhD  

Biology

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Florence M Rollwagen

Expertise

I can answer questions in biology, microbiology and immunology on the undergraduate or graduate level. I can also address medical and health concerns regarding alternative medicine, autoimmune diseases (lupus, MS) liver disease and intestinal problems.

Experience

I have over 20 years experience in research and teaching at the medical/graduate level, and 5 years teaching college biology and microbiology. My expertise is in microbiology and immunology, specifically the biology of cytokines and soluble immune response modifiers. I also carried out original research in blood substitutes and shock/trauma.

Organizations
American Association of Immunologists (AAI) American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Publications
Journal of Experimental Medicine, Journal of Immunology, Cytokine, Shock, Experimental Hematology

Education/Credentials
BS biology 1966 MS biology 1968 PhD immunology 1979

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