What is the difference between soap and a synthetic detergent?

Hint: Soaps are made from natural ingredients, such as plant oils (coconut, vegetable, palm, pine) or acids derived from animal fat. Detergents, on the other hand, are synthetic, man-made derivatives. While soap is limited in its applications, detergents can be formulated to include other ingredients for all sorts of cleaning purposes. Perhaps the most common and versatile of these ingredients are surfactants (surface active agents).


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Note: Make sure to remember that soaps are special classes of detergent that are made by adding a strong base of animal or plant fat, but they are still detergent.