What was the purpose of adding the NaOH to the oil in the saponification lab?

Saponification occurs when a fat is heated with a strong base such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to give glycerol and the sodium salts of the fatty acids, which is soap.

How does sodium hydroxide react with oil?

such as caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), acts on natural fats or oils, such as tallow or vegetable oil, to produce sodium fatty acid salt (soap) and glycerin (or glycerol). This saponification reaction is the basis for all soapmaking.

Why is sodium hydroxide needed in soap?

Sodium hydroxide is a chemical compound that holds or maintains the pH of skincare products, also known as lye. In soap, it’s combined with animal fat or vegetable oil in a process called saponification. During the curing process, the soap bars lose water weight, in which the sodium hydroxide is dissolved.

Is oil soluble in sodium hydroxide?

Bases. Unlike acids, bases dissolve oils; for example, sodium hydroxide, a chemical commonly known as lye, turns oils into soap.

Why is sodium chloride used in soap preparation?

Sodium chloride, or salt, reduces the pH of soap solutions. It acts as a stabilizing agent, helping pH levels remain steady. A thickening agent, sodium chloride also has a de-greasing effect, enhancing the cleaning potential of liquid soap.

How does sodium hydroxide change the molecule to form soap?

This process of making soap is known as saponification. The common procedure involves heating animal fat or vegetable oil in lye (sodium hydroxide), therefore hydrolyzing it into carboxylate salts (from the combination of carboxylic acid chains with the cations of the hydroxide compound) and glycerol.

What is the chemical reaction for making soap?

Saponification
Saponification is the name of the chemical reaction that produces soap. In the process, animal or vegetable fat is converted into soap (a fatty acid) and alcohol. The reaction requires a solution of an alkali (e.g., sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide) in water and also heat.

Does soap contain sodium hydroxide?

Lye in the form of both sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide is used in making soap. “Hot process” soap making also uses lye as the main ingredient. Lye is added to water, cooled for a few minutes and then added to oils and butters.

What is happening when the vegetable oil is mixed with sodium hydroxide?

You will start with a vegetable oil and will use NaOH to hydrolyze these triglycerides. Basic hydrolysis of esters is called saponification. The reaction for this experiment is shown: To soften these harder soaps, coconut oil is often included in the saponification reaction to make the soap softer.

What is sodium chloride in soap?

The addition of salt (sodium chloride) to the crude form of soap forms fatty-acid salts. The sodium ions from the sodium chloride bond with the fatty acid, forming a product that is less soluble in water. Because of this reduced solubility, the soap leaves the solution and forms a solid mass.