MCQ Detailed View

Soap is produced through a chemical reaction called saponification, which involves heating natural fats or oils with a strong alkali, usually sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH). Fats and oils are mainly triglycerides, which are esters formed from glycerol and three fatty acids. During saponification, the ester bonds in triglycerides are broken, producing soap (salts of fatty acids) and glycerol as a byproduct.

Glycerol, also called glycerin, is a tri-hydroxy alcohol with the chemical formula C3H8O3. It contains three hydroxyl (-OH) groups, making it highly soluble in water and hygroscopic (absorbs moisture). The reaction can be represented as:

$$\text{Triglyceride}+3NaOH⟶3\text{Soap molecules (sodium salts of fatty acids)}+\text{Glycerol}$$

Glycerol is a valuable byproduct in soap manufacturing and has many applications. It is used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food processing, explosives (nitroglycerin production), and moisturizers because of its ability to retain water.

The other given options are not correct:

• 
  

  Butanol: A four-carbon alcohol not involved in soap production.

  
  


• 
  

  Ethylene glycol: A dihydroxy alcohol used mainly as antifreeze, not formed in saponification.

  
  


• 
  

  Ethanol: A two-carbon alcohol used as a solvent and fuel, but not produced during soap formation.

  
  

The production of glycerol during soap making is an important example of organic chemistry reactions, illustrating ester hydrolysis under basic conditions. It demonstrates how natural compounds like triglycerides can be chemically transformed into useful products, including both soap and a valuable alcohol byproduct.