a student made some soup, but became concerned when he measured out the right amount of fat and sodium hydroxide. He dissolved some of his soap in water, and found that the soap solution turned red litmus paper blue. When phenolphthalein is added to his soap solution it turned a strong red color. Which was left in his soap, fat or sodium hydroxide?
Triglycerides (fatty acid) + 3NaOH ------> glycerol + soap
When triglycerides react with aqueous NaOH, they are converted into soap and glycerol.
Fatty acids are carboxylic acids containing a long hydrocarbon chain at one end and a -COOH at the other end, so they are acidic. NaOH is base.
Student dissolved some of his soap in water, and found that the soap solution turned red litmus paper blue. Red litmus paper indicates alkalinity with a color change to blue. So NaOH is left in his soap.
When phenolphthalein is added to his soap solution it turned a strong red color. Phenolphthalein test also indicates the presence of NaOH in soap. Phenolphthalein is a colorless in acidic solution, it turn strong red in basic solution. NaOH was left in his soap.
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