BEP 1021 Group 3 Experiment 5

APPLIED CHEMISTRY LABORATORY (BEP 1021)

NO. OF EXPERIMENT: 5
TITLE OF EXPERIMENT: PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF SOAP
GROUP: 3

NAME STUDENT ID
GIDEON SIA JIA DE 1002161514
TASMEA SULTANA 1002265865
AYMEN KHALIFA 1002060202

DATE OF EXPERIMENT: 31/1/2023

TUTOR: Ms. RAFIZAH BINTI ZAITON

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, TECHNOLOGY & BUILT
ENVIRONMENT

2023

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Introduction page 3-5

-problem statement
-Hypothesis
-Objectives

Material and Methodology page 6

Results and Calculation page 7

Discussion page 8

Limitations and Precautions page 8

Conclusion page 8

References page 9

Appendix page 10

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Introduction

We routinely use soaps in our daily lives—for instance, to wash our hands and clean our clothes—
without ever fully considering how they operate. A bar of Ivory soap has an intriguing history and
potent chemistry hidden beneath its simple, white exterior.
In actuality, soap and detergents share many chemical characteristics, serving the same purpose of
washing and cleaning filth. But there is a big difference between them because whereas detergents
are synthetic or man-made, soaps are made from natural ingredients.
In the modern, technologically advanced world, soap is still made much like it was in the past by
heating fats and oils in the presence of a strong base, most often sodium hydroxide or potassium
hydroxide, which results in the production of fatty acid salts and glycerol, a process known as
saponification. In actuality, the salt of a fatty acid is soap, a soft, waxy substance that improves the
capacity of water to be cleaned. A positive ion, typically Na+ or K+, and a negative ion, typically the
anions of long-chained carboxylic acids given by the hydrolysis of either animal or vegetable fats,
are used in the production of soap.
Soap is long-chain fatty acid with at least 12 carbons and a carboxylic acid group is the source of
soap, which is its sodium or potassium salt. Liquid soaps are often made of potassium salts of fatty
acids, while solid soaps are typically made of sodium salts of fatty acids. Soaps are produced using
the using concentrated sodium hydroxide to saponify (basically hydrolyze) a fat or oil (like lard and
natural oils) (NaOH, also known as lye). Lard, an animal fat, and lye, a solution of aqueous NaOH
and KOH generated by leaching wood ashes with water, were historically used to make soap.
For many years, the chemistry involved in manufacturing soap was not well understood.
As shown in Figure 1, it is now understood that the process of saponification of soaps involves the
conversion of triglycerides, which make up fats and oils, into fatty acid salts and glycerol. Long
carbon chains and their accompanying hydrogens are shown by the R groups in the figure.

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Since multiple R groups frequently coexist in the same molecule of fats and oils, many sodium salts
are created. A saturated NaCl solution is then added in order to separate the salts from the other
reaction products. As a result, the soap is compelled to coagulate rather than dissolve in the water. It
can then be filtered out and washed to get rid of the extra base.

Objectives
• Prepare a soap starting with olive oil or animal lard.
• Understand what saponification means.
• Make calculations to find out the weight of substances used

Hypothesis
Salt is a mixture of sodium salts of different naturally occurring fatty acids makes up soap. A molten
bar of soap will float on the water if air bubbles are added because the density of the soap is reduced.
A softer lather results if the fatty acid salt contains potassium rather than sodium. This is due to While
liquid soap is created in the presence of potassium hydroxide, bar soap is created in the presence of
sodium hydroxide. The salt of a weak acid is soap. Organic acids are typically weak acids. As a result,
some hydrolysis happens when soap dissolves in water. As a result of the acid's partial hydrolysis,
soap solutions typically have a slight basic flavor. A fat or oil is saponified or subjected to a basic
hydrolysis reaction to create soap. Currently, the fatty acid is neutralized and turned into salt using
sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide.

Since soaps have both polar and nonpolar molecular regions, both polar and nonpolar species can
dissolve them. The hydrophilic end of soap dissolves in water, while the hydrophobic end is soluble
in non-polar substances like grease and oils. Grease and oils are encircled by soap molecules, which
disperse them into tiny droplets that can float in water. Micelles are the name for these suspended
microscopic droplets. Very trace amounts of grease or oil can be found inside micelles. An emulsion,
or type of suspension in water, is created when oil or grease is dissolved in water.

In essence, soap refers to the sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids with long chains that are

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BEP 1021 Group 3 Experiment 5

produced from naturally occurring esters found in both animal and plant fats. Every organic acid
contains the functional group RCOOH, where R is the abbreviation for the complex hydrocarbon that
is well-known by the name of an alkyl group. Because the group can grow very large and the addition
of each chain has an impact on the chemical reactivity, the term "R" is used. While the ester has the
functional group RCOOR.

A long chain fatty acid is saltified with sodium or potassium to form soap. The term R can be used
to express the fatty acid, which typically contains 12 to 18 carbon atoms. Additionally, both saturated
and unsaturated chains of hydrocarbons may be present in the soap's hydrocarbon chain. Since
sodium salts are typically solid, the majority of soap bars contain sodium salts. While shaving cream,
greases, and liquid soaps are made primarily of potassium salts. The combination of three fatty acid
molecules, such as those found in fats and vegetable oils, results in triglycerides. Triglycerides that
are a part of the ester group and belong to the RCOOR family were derived from three fatty acids.
The process of saponification uses lye and fats to create soap. In other words, triglycerides are
hydrolyzed by bases during the process of saponification.

The soap would no longer clean and emulsify the oil and dirt because the cleansing action of soaps
depends on how easily they ionize in water. This is because the charged particles will react with the
metal cations in hard water, such as Ca2+ and Mg2+. directly create the insoluble salts from the ends
of the soaps. As a conclusion, synthetic detergent was created to address issues of this nature. One of
the key variations between a soap and a synthetic detergent is the difference in polar groups. The
synthetic detergent cleans like soap and forms micelles, but if it is released into rivers and lakes, it
can trigger an explosive growth of algae. Thus, it may result in decay of the aquatic ecosystem
brought on by the decomposition of dead algae, which causes deoxygenation.

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Material and Methodology

LIST OF MATERRIALS AND APPARATUS

Vegetable oil Ethyl alcohol 25% Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Chloride Distilled Water Erlenmeyer flask
Beaker Filter paper Glass rod

PROCEDURE

1. 20ml of a vegetable oil was measured and poured into a Erlenmeyer flask.
2. Approximately 400 mL of tap water in a 600-mL beaker was prepared as a water bath.
3. 20 mL of a 25% sodium hydroxide solution and 10 mL of ethyl alcohol (to serve as a solvent)
was added in the Erlenmeyer flask. The flask is slowly heated in a boiling water bath while
being continuously stirred with a glass rod.
4. The odor of alcohol vanished after about 20 minutes of heating, indicating that the reaction
was complete. As a result, a party substance made up of glycerol, soap and excess sodium
hydroxide was formed.
5. The flask and its contents were cooled using an ice-water bath.
6. A salt solution was prepared by dissolving 45g of NaCl in 150ml distilled water in a 250 ml
beaker.
7. Saturated NaCl solution was added to the soap mixture while stirring vigorously.
8. Due to the increased density of the aqueous solution, soap began to float to the surface.
9. The precipitated soap was filtered and washed with 10ml of ice-cold water.
10. After drying it for 24 hours, the weight of the soap was measured.

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Results and Calculation

Figure 1 Saponification reaction Glyceryl tristearate

THEORETICAL CALCULATIONS
25% NaOH means every 100ml of the solution contain 25g of NaOH.
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 25
Mole of NaOH in 100 ml solution= 𝑅𝑀𝑀 =40 = 0.625mol
0.625×1000
[NaOH] = = 6.25 mol/dm3
100

When volume of NaOH is 20 ml

Volume×Concentration 6.25×20
Mole of NaOH = = = 0.125mol
1000 1000
3
Mole of Soap (C18H35O2Na) = 3 × 0.125 = 0.125mol

Theoretical yield of Soap= 0.125×306 = 38.25g

EXPERIMENTAL CALCULATION
Weight of oil taken = 20×0.9185= 18.37g
Weight of NaOH used= 20×1.11= 22.2g
Weight of soap and filter paper=27.9g
Weight of filter paper= 1.62g
Actual weight of soap formed= 27.9-1.62= 26.3g

ACTUAL YIELD 26.3

% YIELD= × 100% = × 100% = 68.7%
THEORETICAL YIELD 38.9

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Discussion
In this experiment 5, we are able to prepare a soap with vegetable oil. The whole process involves
saponification. It means triglycerides are mixed with a strong base during the soap-making process
to create fatty acid metal salts. The ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids affects the soap's
hardness, fragrance, cleaning, lathering, and moisturizing properties. From our calculation of
theoretical yield of soap, it should be 38.25g but from the actual yield that we have got was 26.3g.
Obviously, we can observe that it is much lesser from the theoretical yield. There are few reasons
why this happened. Firstly, would be partial reactions, in which some of the compound do not
combine to generate the final product. Secondly, practical losses throughout the experiment,
including spills or filtration errors. To calculate the mass of each reactants, we apply the formula of
𝑚 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
density 𝜌 = and for the moles we apply mole formula 𝑚𝑜𝑙 = 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 . For the final
𝑣

weight of the soup formed, we measured the weight of a new filter paper and we use the weight of
final soup formed to minus the weight of new paper to get the final result.

Limitations and Precautions

The limitation for this experiment would be the time consume to heat the solution with water bath
and need to wait 24 hours to let it dry to get the final weight of the soap formed. The precautions for
this experiment would be handling the hot beaker after heating in the water bath and also have to be
extra careful to clamp the beaker in the water bath. As alcohol is highly flammable, protective clothes
and gloves should be worn.

Conclusion
From this experiment, we are able to identify that the total percentage of yield is around 68.7% and
this indicates that few of the reactants you used have changed into products. Consequently, a high
percentage yield indicates that many of the reactant chemicals you utilized to create the products
effectively interacted. To summarize the cleaning mechanism of soap, the hydrophobic (oil-loving)
portions cling to the oil and collect it in the middle. The arrangement of soap molecules creates a
barrier that encloses the oil in the middle. The greasy dirt is removed with the soapy water as it is
rinsing it away.
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References
1)Prieto Vidal, N. et al. (2018) The effects of cold saponification on the unsaponified fatty acid
composition and sensory perception of commercial natural herbal soaps, Molecules (Basel,
Switzerland). U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available at:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6225244/#:~:text=Saponification%20is%20the%2
0process%20in,and%20moisturizing%20abilities%20of%20soaps. (Accessed: February 3, 2023).

2) Home (no date) StudyPug. Available at: https://www.studypug.com/chemistry-help/percentage-

yield-and-atom-
economy#:~:text=A%20low%20percentage%20yield%20means,atom%20economy%20of%20a%2
0reaction. (Accessed: February 3, 2023).

3) How does soap work? (2022) The English Soap Company. Available at:
https://www.theenglishsoapcompany.com/about-us/how-does-soap-
work/#:~:text=The%20oil%2Dloving%20(hydrophobic),dirt%20goes%20along%20with%20it.
(Accessed: February 3, 2023).

4) The characteristics of oil/water separation. (2003). Retrieved December 7, 2017, from Suparator:
http://suparator.com/volume4_e/characteristics.html

5) Surfactants. (2013, March 18). Retrieved December 8, 2017, from The Essential Chemical
Industry - Online: http://www.essentialchemicalindustry.org/materials-
andapplications/surfactants.html

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Appendix

Figure 2 Before and after heating the solution for 20 minutes.

Figure 3 Weight of the NaCl

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Figure 4 Raw data

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FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL & PETROLEUM
ENGINEERING LAB REPORT ASSESSMENT
Student Name: TASMEA SULTANA Student ID: 1002265865

CLO / PLO Indicator Criteria Unacceptable Satisfactory Moderate Good Excellent Percentage Score
(0%) (25%) (50%) (75%) (100%) (%)

CLO1/PLO4 Writing Introduction, No introduction, Introduction, Introduction, Introduction, Introduction, 10

introduction, problem problem problem problem statement problem problem
problem statement and statement and statement and and objective statement and statement and
statement and objective objective stated objective are miss at least one objective are objective are
objective irrelevant or not important listed, important fully addressed
appropriate to the consideration experiment
experiment details are
covered, some
minor details
missing

CLO1/PLO4 Generates Hypotheses No hypotheses are Hypotheses are Hypotheses do Hypotheses Hypotheses 5
working stated stated but not involve involve involve
hypotheses irrelevant to the parameters parameters but do parameters and
experiment not justify the justify the
relationships relationships

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CLO1/PLO4 Identifies known Experimental No procedures Procedures do Procedures are Procedures are Procedures are 10
and unknown procedures are written in the not properly listed but missing listed in complete, listed in clear
information, report. demonstrate the information. known and steps. Known and
uncertainties steps taken in the Known and unknown unknown
and/or biases experiment. unknown information, information,
information, uncertainties and uncertainties and
uncertainties and biases some are biases are all
biases are not not listed. But listed.
listed. some minor
details are
missing.

CLO2/PLO4 Evaluates results Discussion/ Incomplete and Incomplete/ Some of the results Almost all of the Important trends 20
Observation incorrect incorrect have been correctly results have been and data
interpretation of interpretation of interpreted and correctly comparisons have
trends and trends and discussed; Partial interpreted and been interpreted
comparison of comparison of but incomplete discussed; only correctly and
data indicating a data. understanding of minor discussed; good
lack of results is still improvements are understanding of
understanding of the evident. needed. results is conveyed.
results.

CLO2/PLO4 Synthesizes data Conclusion Incorrect Incomplete Conclusions are Conclusions are Conclusions are 10
to reach conclusion. conclusions. drawn. Only two drawn. Only three drawn. All the
conclusions Only one of the of the following of the following are
following is are addressed: 1. following are addressed: 1.
addressed: 1. results addressed: 1. results
results 2. discussion results 2. discussion
2. discussion 3. hypotheses 2. discussion 3. hypotheses 4.
3. hypotheses 4. objectives 3. hypotheses objectives
4. objectives 4. objectives
CLO3/PLO10 Creates figures, Results: Data, No figures, Figures, Most figures, All figures, All figures, graphs, 10
tables and figures, graphs, graphs, tables are graphs, tables graphs, tables are graphs, tables are tables are correctly
drawings to tables, etc. provided. contain errors or correctly drawn correctly drawn, drawn,
engineering report are poorly but still missing but some have are numbered and
standards constructed, some important minor problems contain
missing a lot of and required or could still be titles/captions.
important and features. improved.
required features.

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CLO3/PLO10 Writes documents Appearance Appearance and Sections out of Sections in order. Lab report is mostly Lab report is 10
using engineering and formatting formatting are totally order, the report The formatting is typed/ written using typed/written in
report standards inappropriate. is not rough but appropriate well-formatted
typed/written readable. format, all sections form, very readable.
using the in order, generally
appropriate good but could
format. still be improved.

CLO3/PLO10 Delivers clear Spelling, Grammar/spelli Frequent Occasional Less than 3 All 10
and organized grammar ng error, writing grammar grammar/spellin grammar/spellin grammar/spellin
formal , sentence style is rough and and/or spelling g errors, g errors, mature, g is correct and
presentations structure immature. errors. generally readable style. very well
with accurate use readable with written.
of technical some rough
vocabulary spots in writing
style.
CLO5/PLO8 Comprehends Precaution No precaution One Two precautions Three Four or more 15
all the steps steps are precaution is are addressed precautions are precautions are
experiments addressed. addressed on on the following: addressed on addressed on
according to the following: 1. Safety and the following: the following:
Standard 1. Safety and environment 1. Safety and 1. Safety and
Operating environment 2. Experiment environment environment
Procedures 2. Experiment SOP 2. Experiment 2. Experiment
(SOP) SOP 3. Experimental SOP SOP
3. error 3. Experimental 3. Experimental
Experimental error error
error
Total Marks 100%

*IMPORTANT: Penalty for late submission of the lab report

10%-mark deduction per day from lab report total mark. The lab report will not be accepted after five (5) days from the deadline, and a zero
mark will be granted.

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