How Does Soap Relate to chemistry?

Question

For my chemisrtry class we have to write a two page essay on how soap relates to what we have learned in our chemisry class. we also have to make a powerpoint on it. how does soap relate to chemistry? what kinds of bonds are used and what can i put in my essay?

Answer 1

First, to make soap, one has to saponify (hydrolyze by means of alkali) a fat or oil. This means breaking the covalent bonds that hold the component molecules of fats and oils together. The fat or oil (usually cooking fat) is a triester of a fatty acid with glycerol. In colonial times, one would collect ashes from cooking fires (pot ash) consisting of sodium and potassium hydroxides and stuff, dissolve that in water, add the fat, and boil. The hydroxides and carbonates would catalyze hydrolysis of the fat to glycerol and a mix of the sodium/potassium salts of fatty acids. The sodium/potassium salts were the soaps. The fatty acids were stearic acid, CH3(CH2)16COOH, and others. They were held together by covalent bonds. The sodium salts were ionic compounds, held together by ionic bonds: CH3(CH2)16COO-Na+.

Unfortunately, water used for washing has calcium Ca2+ and magnesium Mg2+ ions in it. This leads to precipitation of soap molecules as "scum" or "ring-around-the-collar" or "ring-around-the-tub." These are water-insoluble salts of [CH3(CH2)16COO-]2Ca and -Mg. So ionic Mg2+ and Ca2+ salts can be water insoluble.

Answer 2

you're able to somewhat lots relate something on your place to chemistry in one way or yet yet another, the question is "how?" it particularly is any organic and organic and organic and organic merchandise, any plant or animal merchandise, something artificially produced, and so on, and so on. Plasma televisions, elementary bulbs, any style of nutrition, maximum wood is dealt with with some chemical product, gas heating, and so on, and so on. each and each little factor has chemistry! lol