Question

Soaps are

• A. $Mg$ salts of lower fatty acids
• B. $Na$ salts of lower fatty acids
• C. $Na$ salts of higher fatty acids
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

$Na$ (sodium) salts of higher fatty acids are known as soap and the process by which soap is prepared is known as saponification. $\underset{glycerylstearate}{\underset{\begin{array}{c}|\\ C{H}_{2}OCO{C}_{17}{H}_{35}\end{array}}{\stackrel{\begin{array}{c}C{H}_{2}OCO{C}_{17}{H}_{32}\\ |\end{array}}{CHOCO{C}_{17}{H}_{35}}}}+\underset{\begin{array}{c}sodium\\ hydroxie\end{array}}{3NAOH}\to \underset{glycerol}{\underset{\begin{array}{c}|\\ C{H}_{2}OH\end{array}}{\stackrel{\begin{array}{c}C{H}_{2}OH\\ |\end{array}}{\mathrm{CHOH}}}}$ $+\underset{\begin{array}{c}sodiumstearate\\ (soap)\end{array}}{3C_{17}{H}_{35}COONa}$