Compounds like sodium stearate, called "surfactants" in general, can form
structures known as micelles in water, once the solution concentration reaches
the value known as the critical micelle concentration (cmc). Micelles contain
dozens to hundreds of molecules. The cme depends on the substance, the
solvent, and the temperature. At and above the cmc, the properties of the
solution vary drastically.
(a) The turbidity (the amount of light scattering) of solutions increases
dramatically at the cmc. Suggest an explanation. (b) The ionic conductivity of
the solution dramatically changes at the cme. Suggest an explanation. (c)
Chemists have developed fluorescent dyes that glow brightly only when the dye
molecules are in a hydrophobic environment. Predict how the intensity of such
fluorescence would relate to the concentration of sodium stearate as the
sodium stearate concentration approaches and then increases past the cme.