Locally produced soap in which wood ash is used as the base is usually soft because the wood ash contains a lot of
Answer Details
Locally produced soap in which wood ash is used as the base is usually soft because the wood ash contains a lot of potassium ions. Potassium hydroxide, also known as caustic potash, is formed when wood ash is mixed with water. It is a strong alkali that reacts with fats and oils in the soap-making process to form soap molecules. Potassium ions are responsible for making the soap soft because they have a weaker attraction to water molecules than sodium ions, which are used in the production of hard soap. Therefore, soap made from potassium ions tends to be softer and more soluble in water.