Extracting fats

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Introduction

Fats are isolated from plants and animals. The properties such as solubility relate to their chemical structures. Fats are heated with a strong base to convert them into soaps. The fat you use to make soap reacts with potassium hydroxide to produce a potassium soap, the potassium salt of the fatty acid. One typical animal fat, sterol, reacts with KOH to form potassium stearate, soap. Most naturally occurring fats produce a mixture of different salts of fatty acids when they are converted to soap. Both potassium and sodium soaps dissolve in water and are effective as cleaning agents. Each has a polar end to the molecule identified by the negative charge and an end that is primarily carbon and hydrogen. The polar end attracts polar water molecules. The other end, hydrocarbon end, attracts oils and other water insoluble materials like fat or grease. Water is a polar solvent and dissolves polar and ionic molecules

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Method

  • Add 10 ml of oil to a beaker
  • Add 10ml of 40% sodium hydroxide(corrosive)
  • Heat the solution till it boils
  • Use a spatula to add sodium chloride till it goes semi solid.
  • Add perfume or scented liquid
  • Leave the soap to dry and then take PH.

Safety

This experiment was overall a safe one but as like other experiments we have to take safety precautions. There was sodium hydroxide which was corrosive so we wore goggles and made sure the skin did not come in contact with ...

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