[lordduya]

Hey guys,

I'm new to this forum as you can tell. I have a question concerning an experiment that my friends and I were doing where we made soap using four different sources (grapeseed oil, crisco, butter, and corn oil) mixed with lye (NaOH). I actually wanted to know why this process makes soaps, like what type of reaction occurs and the products formed. I think the sodium displaces something in the oil, but I'm not sure. Also, how soap works (the chemical process)...And finally, why do the sources differ in producing soaps? Basically, what happens?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[mike]

Hello lordduya,

first: there is no need to post the some question more than once.

second: other people have disussed soap and soap making on this forum so you may get some useful information form them, just use the search button on this forum.

third: you could try searching the internet (google or wikipedia maybe) for the term saponification as this is the reaction that is occurring.

Good luck 

[mdlhvn]

  I think there are a lot of books writting about this problem, it is quite basic. Try some engineering chemistry books.

[billnotgatez]

The below is one of my favorite sites on common chemistry.
Chem 104 Lectures are interesting.
http://cavemanchemistry.com/
On this site is a discussion of saponification.
http://cavemanchemistry.com/cavebook/chsoap.html

From the dictionary

Saponification -
A reaction in which an ester is heated with an alkali, such as sodium hydroxide, producing a free alcohol and an acid salt, especially alkaline hydrolysis of a fat or oil to make soap.