INTRODUCTION

In this experiment we prepare soap from animal fat (lard) or vegetable oil. This hydrolysis is
called saponification and the reaction has been known for centuries. Animal fats and
vegetable oils are esters of carboxylic acids, they have a high molecular weight and contain
the alcohol, glycerol. Chemically, these fats and oils are called triglycerides. Triglycerides are
composed of three esters linked together through a common backbone and just as esters can
be made by the combination of an alcohol and a carboxylic acid, the reverse reaction can also
occur. Esters can hydrolyzed to their alcohol and carboxylic acid components in the presence
of acid or base. Fats, oils, and fatty acids are insoluble in water because their hydrophobic
tails are so long. If a base is used for hydrolysis, the fatty acids produced are deprotonated
and are present as the corresponding carboxylate salts. Because these product carboxylate
salts are charged, they are much more soluble in water than the corresponding uncharged
fatty acids. Since the carboxylate salts also each have a long nonpolar tail, they are also
compatible with nonpolar greases and oils. After saponification is complete, the soap is
separated from the glycerol by “salting out.” The solution is mixed with a concentrated
sodium chloride solution. This electrolyte causes the dispersed soap to coagulate. The soap is
then washed many times with concentrated sodium chloride to remove the excess sodium
hydroxide . Such lye soap can be made from many different animal fats or vegetable oils,
each giving slightly different cleaning qualities. Soaps do not work well in hard water
because the divalent cations of dissolved minerals (Ca+2, Mg+2, and Fe+2) form precipitates
with the carboxylate (fatty acid) anions of soaps. “Soft water” is water that contains very few
or no ions that precipitate with soap. Soap will therefore be much more effective in soft water
than in hard water.
TUTORIAL

1. Give a definition of saponification.

Saponification is a process by which triglycerides are reacted with sodium or

potassium hydroxide (lye) to produce glycerol and a fatty acid salt, called 'soap'.
Esters can be cleaved back into a carboxylic acid and an alcohol by reaction with
water and a base.

2. Explain how soap can function as “ dirt remover”.

The soap molecules contain a structure that is oil-like. That part of the molecule will
be attracted to grease. Therefore, the water solution has an affinity for grease, while
normally "oil and water don't mix". Grease can be removed without actually
dissolving in the soapy water. With vigorous mixing like between a cloth and a dish,
little grease droplets can form in the water. That is called an emulsion, and has the
properties much closer to water than to grease.

3. Synthetic detergent functions in the same way as a soaps. Give the advantages of
synthetic detergent over soaps.

 Detergents work well even with hard water but soaps do not.
 Detergents may be used in saline or acidic water.
 Detergents are more easily soluble in water than soaps.
 Detergents can be used for washing woolen garments whereas soaps cannot be
used.
 Detergents having linear hydrocarbon chain are biodegradable.

4. Reaction of fat with NaOH will produced long chain carboxylic acid (soap) in form
of Bar. What would be happen if sodium hydroxide ( NaOH ) is replaced by
potassium hydroxide (KOH) .

Soaps made with potassium hydroxide exhibit a greater solubility especially as you
increase the temperature of the water. Like all strong bases, the reaction of both
Potassium Hydroxide and Sodium Hydroxide with water is strongly exothermic, in
other words, they generate heat and give off hydrogen. But the reaction with Sodium
Hydroxide is slightly more exothermic which can make up for other more positive
factors that Potassium Hydroxide possess.
.
5. Name the all types of chemical reaction in this experiment.

Elimination – when sodium hydroxide plus fatty acid will produce sodium salt and glycerol
Hydrolysis – when soaps plus water
Hydrolysis – when mixture plus 4% calcium chloride
 Substitution – when mixture no 2 plus 5.0 g of trisodium phosphate

6. Explain the reason of your findings for the following.

a) Soap + 3 ml distilled water
-When the soap was added with the water, a foam is form. This occur due to the
hydrolysis reaction.

b) Soap mixture + 5-10 drops of 4% calcium chloride

- When the mixture added with calcium chloride .the foam that present had
gone .This reaction is called hydrolysis where the calcium will combine with
salt and the sodium will combine with chloride.

c) Soap mixture + 0.5 g trisodium phosphate

- When the mixture was added with trisodium phosphate,it become warm and
the bottom of the tube there are cloudy water. The reaction is substitution
because as the trisodium will replace the calcium in the salt.