Saponification Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Saponification - Lab Report Example Although soaps and detergents are surfactants they are different in that sops are made from natural products while detergents are made from man-made product which may have some negative effect on the environment. Soaps work through a process called emulsification. This is where soap combines with non water soluble agents detaching them from the material. A micelle can be found in colloidal electrolyte solutions of soaps and detergents. It is formed from an aggregate of molecules resulting in charged particles (Herz 136). Formation of potassium soap is as a result of carboxylate anions and univalent cation to form a soap salt. A mixture of anions is due to the fatty acid residue present in the triglyceride molecule. No precipitate is formed with water because potassium soaps are highly soluble. The experiment was a success as potassium soap which was the required product was achieved at the end of the experiment. The potassium soap was able to remove grease thus proving the efficiency of the product. Hard water contains minerals that easily react with soap to form a solid precipitate called scum, detergents do not react with the minerals in hard water thus the lack of scum while using detergents, this one demerit of using soap over detergent. Soap is cheap and does not damage the fabric compared to detergent. Detergents on the other hand are effective against tough stains compared to soaps (Herz