Why are sodium and potassium salts of carboxylic acids soluble in water?

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Sodium and potassium salts of carboxylic acids are generally quite soluble in water because the conversion of a carboxylic acid into its salt form creates a more polar, charged species.12

While the hydrocarbon chain of a carboxylic acid is hydrophobic, the carboxylate group (RCOO−) is hydrophilic. When a carboxylic acid is treated with a strong base, such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, the acidic hydrogen is replaced by a metal cation (like Na+ or K+). This process results in the formation of an ionic salt, which is significantly more polar than the undissociated acid, allowing it to dissolve readily in water.21