Saponification is the process through which the building blocks of fats and oils (triglycerides) react with lye to produce soap. Lye is the name given to the acid used in the process; sodium hydroxide is an example of lye. The saponification process produces glycerin and soap as byproducts.
Saponification is an exothermic chemical process that produces heat when fats or oils (fatty acids) come into contact with lye, a base. The triglyceride units of fats react with sodium hydroxide and are transformed to soap and glycerol in this process.
Table of Contents
What is Soap?
Any soap comprises a lipid (which contains a fatty acid) and an alkali (chemically a base), which is commonly lye or potassium hydroxide. When a base and an acid come into contact, a neutralization reaction occurs. This reaction produces salt (soap) and water.
Soap reduces the surface tension of the water, as a result, the water drop becomes weaker and breaks apart faster. Soaps clean dishes and clothing more readily by causing water molecules to cling together less.
Sponification Process
Saponification is the neutralization process that results in soap. In order to create soap, the base must have one hydroxide ion (like lye or potassium hydroxide). The acid must be triglyceride (three fatty acids, attached to a single molecule of glycerol). Triglycerides are often found in animal fat or vegetable fats such as olive oil. There are two responses. First, the glycerol is converted into glycerin, a humectant. The soap is then formed by the base and acid.
Related Topics
Chemical Reactions| Examples in Daily Life
Surface Tension of Water
Calcium Oxide (CaO)| Lime or Quick Lime
Combustion Reactions| Introduction, Reaction, & Facts
is burning wood a chemical change?
Face scrub & The Importance of Exfoliation
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why surface tension of mercury is greater than water?
Mercury has very high surface tension. Because mercury is a metal, the molecules’ bonds are metal bonds, which are much stronger than hydrogen bonds in a water molecule, resulting in extremely high cohesive forces and surface tension.
2. Is water vapor a greenhouse gas?
Yes, water vapors are greenhouse gas. other examples are listed below:
- Carbon dioxide
- Methane
- Ozone
- Nitrous oxide
- Chlorofluorocarbons
3. What is the weight of water?
1 liter of water should weigh 1 kilogram.
1 Liter Equals 1000 cm3 and 1 kilogram = 1 Liter of water
At 17 °C, one US gallon of water weighs 8.345 pounds or 3.785 kg, but one Imperial gallon of water weighs 10.02 pounds or 4.545 kg. Click to find more details about the weight of water.
4. What is the density of water?
At 4.0°C (39.2°F), the density of water in g/ml is 0.9998395. This is equivalent to one gram per milliliter (g/ml) or one gram per cubic centimeter (g/cm3). Check full article density of water g/ml.
5. How many cups are in a gallon?
A US liquid gallon is equal to 16 cups, while a US dry gallon is equal to 18.61 cups. In the United States, one cup equals half a pint (236.6 ml). Check the full article “How many cups are in a gallon”.
More Interesting Topics
Neon Element
Liquid Oxygen-Cryogenic Liquid
How cold is Liquid Nitrogen?
Electron Configuration for Calcium
Is Air a Homogeneous Mixture?
The pH of Distilled/ De-Ionized Water
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