Before doing the experiment (instructional format):
Experiment No.: ___
Date: ____________
Experiment Name:
PREPARATION OF SOAP FROM COCONUT OIL BY SAPONIFICATION
REACTION
Aim / Objective:
To prepare soap from coconut oil by carrying out the saponification
reaction using sodium hydroxide.
Theory:
Saponification is the chemical reaction between a fat or oil and a
strong alkali to produce soap and glycerol.
The soap formed is the sodium salt of a fatty acid, and glycerol is
obtained as a by-product.
Chemical equation:
Fat or oil + NaOH → Soap + Glycerol
Example:
C3H5(OOC–C17H35 )3 + 3NaOH → 3C17H35COONa + C3H5(OH)3
Stearic acid Sodium stearate Glycerol
Materials / Apparatus
Coconut oil
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) pellets
Distilled water
Common salt (NaCl)
Beaker
Measuring cylinder
Glass rod
Funnel and filter paper
Bunsen burner or hot plate
Gloves and goggles
Procedure
1. Preparation of alkali solution:
Dissolve 5 g of NaOH pellets in 25 mL of distilled water
carefully. Stir until dissolved (reaction is exothermic).
2. Mixing:
Take 10 mL of coconut oil in a beaker. Add the prepared NaOH
solution slowly while stirring continuously with a glass rod.
3. Heating:
Heat the mixture gently on a Bunsen burner or hot plate for 10-
15 minutes while stirring. The mixture becomes thick and creamy.
4. Adding salt:
While still hot, add 2 tablespoons of common salt (NaCl). Stir
well. Soap begins to separate out and float on the surface.
5. Cooling and filtering:
Allow the mixture to cool. Filter the solid soap using filter paper
and funnel. Wash it with cold water to remove excess alkali and
salt.
6. Drying:
Leave the filtered soap to dry overnight or until it hardens.
Observation
The mixture thickens during heating.
On adding salt, a white solid (soap) separates and floats on the
liquid surface.
The lower layer contains glycerol dissolved in water.
Result
Soap was successfully prepared from coconut oil by the process of
saponification.
Discussion
The experiment demonstrated that vegetable oils such as coconut oil
react with sodium hydroxide to form soap and glycerol. The soap
formed floated on the surface because it is less dense than the glycerol–
water mixture. The addition of salt helped to separate the soap by
reducing its solubility in water. Slight variations in heating or alkali
concentration can affect the texture or hardness of the final soap.
Precautions
1. Handle NaOH carefully; it is corrosive.
2. Wear gloves and goggles during the experiment.
3. Do not overheat the mixture.
4. Stir continuously to ensure even reaction.
5. Wash the soap thoroughly to remove excess alkali before drying.
Conclusion
Soap was successfully prepared from coconut oil through the
saponification reaction between fat and sodium hydroxide. The soap
obtained was lighter than the glycerin solution and floated on the
surface.
After doing the experiment (record/report format):
Practical Report: Preparation of Soap (Saponification Reaction)
Experiment No.: ___
Date: ____________
Experiment Name:
PREPARATION OF SOAP FROM COCONUT OIL BY SAPONIFICATION
REACTION
Aim / Objective:
To prepare soap from coconut oil by carrying out the saponification
reaction using sodium hydroxide.
Theory:
Saponification is the chemical reaction between a fat or oil and a
strong alkali to produce soap and glycerol.
The soap formed is the sodium salt of a fatty acid, and glycerol is
obtained as a by-product.
Chemical equation:
Fat or oil + NaOH → Soap + Glycerol
Example:
C3H5(OOC–C17H35 )3 + 3NaOH → 3C17H35COONa + C3H5(OH)3
Stearic acid Sodium stearate Glycerol
Materials / Apparatus:
Coconut oil
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) pellets
Distilled water
Common salt (NaCl)
Beaker
Measuring cylinder
Glass rod
Funnel and filter paper
Bunsen burner or hot plate
Gloves and goggles
Procedure (past tense)
1. Preparation of alkali solution:
About 5 g of NaOH pellets were dissolved in 25 mL of distilled
water carefully. The solution was stirred until the pellets dissolved
completely.
2. Mixing:
10 mL of coconut oil was taken in a beaker. The prepared NaOH
solution was added slowly while stirring continuously with a glass
rod.
3. Heating:
The mixture was heated gently on a Bunsen burner for 10–15
minutes while stirring. The mixture became thick and creamy.
4. Adding salt:
While the mixture was still hot, 2 tablespoons of common salt were
added. Soap separated out and floated on the surface.
5. Cooling and filtering:
The mixture was allowed to cool. The solid soap was filtered using
filter paper and funnel, and washed with cold water to remove
excess alkali and salt.
6. Drying:
The filtered soap was left to dry overnight until it hardened.
Observation (past tense):
The mixture thickened during heating.
Upon adding salt, a white solid (soap) separated and floated on the
liquid surface.
The lower layer contained glycerol dissolved in water.
Result:
Soap was successfully prepared from coconut oil by the process of
saponification.
Discussion:
The experiment demonstrated that coconut oil reacts with sodium
hydroxide to form soap and glycerol. The soap floated on the surface
because it was less dense than the glycerol–water solution. Addition of
salt helped to separate the soap by reducing its solubility. Slight
variations in heating or alkali concentration could affect the texture or
hardness of the soap.
Precautions
1. NaOH was handled carefully because it is corrosive.
2. Gloves and goggles were worn during the experiment.
3. The mixture was not overheated.
4. The mixture was stirred continuously to ensure even reaction.
5. The soap was washed thoroughly to remove excess alkali before
drying.
Conclusion
Soap was successfully prepared from coconut oil through the
saponification reaction between fat and sodium hydroxide. The soap
obtained was lighter than the glycerin solution and floated on the
surface.