Multiple choice

‘Saponification’ is a process by which ___________.

  1. soap is prepared

  2. plastic is prepared

  3. sulphur is extracted

  4. protein is identified

  5. none of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The term saponification is the name given to the chemical reaction that occurs when a vegetable oil or animal fat is mixed with a strong alkali. The products of the reaction are two: soap and glycerin. Water is also present, but it does not enter into the chemical reaction. The water is only a vehicle for the alkali, which is otherwise a dry powder. The name saponification literally means "soap making". The root word, "sapo", is Latin for soap. The Italian word for soap is sapone. 

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