Q. Why is it difficult to wash in salt water?
A. Because salt water contains muriatic acid; and the soda of soap combines with the muriatic acid of the salt water, and produces a cloudiness.
Q. Why does a black hat turn red at the sea side?
A. The muriatic acid of the sea-water disturbs the gallic acid of the black dye, and turns it red.
Q. Of what is soap made?
A. Of kelp (or the ashes of sea-weed dried and burnt in a pit) mixed with oil or fat.
Yellow Soap is made of whale-oil, soda, and resin. Soft soap is made of oil and potash. Hard soap of oil and soda.
Q. Why does water clean dirty linen?
A. Because the oxygen of the water attaches itself to the stains of the linen, and dissolves them; as oxalic acid dissolves ink spots.
Q. Why does soap greatly increase the cleansing power of water?