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11.R: Making Soap Saponification (Report)

  • Page ID
    306796
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    Experimental Data

    Part A: Synthesized Soap

    1. Describe the color, texture and appearance of synthesized soap:
    2. Does it smell like any soap that you have used?

    Part B: Properties of Soaps and Detergents

    Synthesized Soap Commercial Soap Commercial Detergent
    pH      
    Emulsification test      
    Ca2+      
    Fe3+      
    Mg2+      

    Post-lab Questions

    1. The saponification reaction occurs between an ester and a base, shown in the figure in the procedure. In the reaction you performed, what is the ester and what is the base?
    2. The base used in the saponification reaction must always contain a hydroxide ion. What bases are most commonly used for this reaction?
    3. The products of the reaction are glycerol and a crude soap. The chemical formula of the soap is CH3(CH2)14COONa+. Draw the line-angle structure. Circle the portion of the molecule that is water-soluble and box the portion of the molecule that is fat-soluble. Why is the circle portion water-soluble? Why is the box portion fat- soluble?
    4. During lab section, why did the saponification reaction require the long period of stirring?
    5. Do you think that the type of fat used will make a difference in the product? Why or why not?

    This page titled 11.R: Making Soap Saponification (Report) is shared under a CC BY-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Safiyyah Forbes and Patrick McKay via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.