Industrial Chemistry > Saponification is an Important Organic Industrial Process
Saponification is an important organic industrial process
Students learn to:
- describe saponification as the conversion in basic solution of fats and oils to glycerol and salts of fatty acids
- describe the conditions under which saponification can be performed in the school laboratory and compare these with industrial preparation of soap
- account for the cleaning action of soap by describing its structure
- explain that soap, water and oil together form an emulsion with the soap acting as an emulsifier
- distinguish between soaps and synthetic detergents in terms of:
– the structure of the molecule
– chemical composition
– effect in hard water - distinguish between anionic, cationic and non-ionic synthetic detergents in terms of:
– chemical composition
– uses
Students:
- perform a first-hand investigation to carry out saponification and test the product
- gather, process and present information from secondary sources to identify a range of fats and oils used for soap-making
- perform a first-hand investigation to gather information and describe the properties of a named emulsion and relate these properties to its uses
- perform a first-hand investigation to demonstrate the effect of soap as an emulsifier
- solve problems and use available evidence to discuss, using examples, the environmental impacts of the use of soaps and detergent
Extract from Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus (Amended October 2002). © 2009, Board of Studies NSW.