Experiment: 4.

6 Process of making soaps

Aim To study the process of making soaps from the reaction of oil with
sodium hydroxide

Hypothesis Soap can be prepared through the reaction between oil

and.......................................by the process of ..............................

Materials Palm oil, concentrated sodium hydroxide solution, sodium chloride

powder, red litmus paper, distilled water.

Apparatus 250 ml beaker, tripod stand, wire gauze, Bunsen burner, glass rod,
spatula, 10 ml and 100 ml measuring cylinders, test tube.

Procedure 1. Approximately 5cm of palm oil was put into a beaker.

2. Approximately 30 cm of sodium hydroxide solution was put into the
same beaker.
3. The mixture was boiled slowly and stirred for 5 minutes.
4. Add 50 cm of water and two spatulas of sodium chloride powder. Boil
and stir for 5 minutes.
5. The mixture was allowed to cool down and the residue formed
( white solid) was filtered.
6. The residue was rinsed with distilled water.
7. The following tests was carried out:
A) the white solid was rubbed between fingers
B) the white solid was shake with water in a test tube
C) the white solid was tested with a moist red litmus paper.
8. Observations on the characteristics of the product obtained was
recorded.

Observation Test on white solid Observation

Feel with your fingers

Shake in water A lot of .....................are

produced

Moist red litmus paper Turns to ..........................

Analysis 1. What is the name of the white solid produced?

2. Name one other substance that can be used to replace the sodium
hydroxide solution?
3. Name the process of making soap?
 4. Complete the word equation to represent the process of making soap
in this activity.

Palm oil + sodium hydroxide -----> ............................ + .............................

5. What is the function of sodium chloride?

To ………………………………………………………………...

Conclusion