Question:

The correct statements of the following are:
I. shaving soaps contain glycerol and rosin
II. Liquid detergents used for dishwashing belong to non-ionic type
III. Unbranched hydrocarbon detergents are non-biodegradable

Show Hint

Straight-chain (unbranched) surfactants are biodegradable.
Branching in the hydrophobic tail of a detergent prevents bacterial enzymes from breaking it down, leading to persistent foam in water bodies.
Updated On: Jul 22, 2026
  • I, II only
  • II, III only
  • I, III only
  • I, II, III
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question is about chemistry in everyday life, specifically regarding the composition and types of soaps and detergents.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
We need to evaluate the chemical properties, ingredients, and classifications of shaving soaps, liquid detergents, and biodegradable/non-biodegradable detergents.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:

• Statement I: "shaving soaps contain glycerol and rosin"
This statement is correct. Shaving soaps contain glycerol to prevent the soap from drying too quickly on the skin. Rosin is added to produce sodium rosinate, which helps the soap lather abundantly.

• Statement II: "Liquid detergents used for dishwashing belong to non-ionic type"
This statement is correct. Liquid dishwashing detergents are non-ionic in nature. An example of a non-ionic detergent is the ester formed between stearic acid and polyethylene glycol:
\[ \text{CH}_3(\text{CH}_2)_{16}\text{COO}(\text{CH}_2\text{CH}_2\text{O})_n\text{CH}_2\text{CH}_2\text{OH} \] These detergents remove grease via solvation and do not contain any ionic charge.

• Statement III: "Unbranched hydrocarbon detergents are non-biodegradable"
This statement is incorrect. Hydrocarbon chains that are straight and unbranched can be easily degraded by bacteria, making them biodegradable.
Highly branched hydrocarbon chains are difficult for bacteria to break down, which makes branched detergents non-biodegradable and environmental pollutants.

• Thus, only statements I and II are correct.


Step 4: Final Answer:
The correct statements are I and II only.
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