Developers:
David Crotty
Franklin Elementary
Pennsauken, NJ
Mike Gavaghan
Separations Technology
Spring House, PA
Faith Lipford
Separations Technology
Spring House, PA
Grade Level:
5 through 8
Discipline:
Objectives:
4. compare the relative strength of their sample against commercial soap products
Background:
Evidence of soap making dates back to the Egyptians and Babylonians. However, due to the harshness of
homemade soaps and the expense of early commercial products, humans have been using soaps to
clean clothes and themselves for a relatively short period of time.
Homemade soaps were usually made from kitchen fats or lard. The fats were broken down using ash
soaked in water. The soaking ash produced the needed hydroxide. The samples the students will
manufacture will be made from the same process.
Saponification is a process in which a fat molecule is broken down by sodium hydroxide (lye) into four
smaller molecules; three of the new molecules are soap and one is glycerol. The glycerol molecule keeps
the soap moist. Emulsion is a temporary mixing of two insoluble liquids such as oil and water.
Teacher Preparation:
SAFETY NOTE: Both ethyl and isopropyl alcohol are flammable. Sodium hydroxide is caustic. Use care
with these chemicals. Students should be familiar with lab safety procedures before beginning this
experiment (see page 4). Make sure there is no open flame in the room. Use goggles, gloves, aprons, or
lab coats.
For the class: (the following will provide enough solutions for 50 experiments)
1. Prepare sodium hydroxide and alcohol solution. Place 120g of sodium hydroxide (sodium hydroxide is
available at hardware stores under the name Lye. Avoid using liquid drain cleaners) in a glass container.
Add enough water to make 500 ml of solution. Stir to dissolve. Add 500 ml of either ethyl or 70%
isopropyl alcohol (available at drug stores). (Wear safety glasses when you prepare this solution. It can
cause serious damage to the eye.)
2. Prepare fat: Solids such as Crisco work best. Melt approximately 1 kg of Crisco or another vegetable
shortening into a container suitable for heating. Heat fat to 40 to 45 degrees C. The fat must stay in
liquid form until distributed to the students.
Balance scale.
Soup can
Glass custard cup or container to fit into the mouth of the soup can (see diagram 1).
Wooden stirrers.
Two aluminum pie plates, inverted and stapled (see diagram 2).
Cheese cloth.
Procedure:
1. Divide class into groups of 4. Have students wear gloves and goggles.
5. Pour sodium hydroxide/alcohol solution into fat while stirring with wooden stick.
6. Continue heating and stirring until a small sample can be completely dissolved in a test tube filled half
way with water.
7. While stirring the solution have another student weigh 90g of salt into a container, using a balance
scale.
9. Pour the soap solution directly into the salt water. The soap will separate and float.
10. Using a rubber band place cheesecloth over another jar. Pour the salt solution and soap through the
cheesecloth. Allow solution to drain. Pour 4 oz. of ice water on soap to remove the salt.
11. Gently squeeze excess water from the cloth. Spread out the cheese cloth to allow the soap to dry.
Some soap will dry faster than others, allow 1 to 3 days.
12. Wash hands with soap and water. Avoid contact with eyes.
Materials:
1. Homemade soap
2. Various commercial soaps and detergents, i.e.. liquid dish detergent, bar soap, soap flakes (Borax),
powdered laundry detergent, etc.
5. pH paper and/or phenolphthalein (phenolphthalein an acid/base indicator can be made from Ex-Lax
tablets. Grind one tablet and mix with one liter of luke-warm water).
6. Calcium chloride (available at supermarkets and hardware stores as Driveway Heat or ice melt) and
Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate).
For the class:
The students will test their soap products using hard water. ( Hard water is that which contains Ca and
Mg ions.) To make water hard add teaspoon of both calcium chloride and epsom salt to two liters of
water.
NOTE: Since your water supply may be "hard", it might be a good idea to use deionized water to make
all solutions for this activity. You can usually purchase this inexpensively in a supermarket. Many people
buy deionized water for use in steam irons.
Procedure:
Pour 10ml of each solution into either a test tube or a small clear container. Into a similar container
pour10ml of plain water to act as a control.
4. Add 5 drops of cooking oil to the test tube. Shake. Record observation.
5. In another test tube add 10ml of soap solution. Add 5ml of hard water. Shake.
Worksheet
Solution #
pH
phenolphthalein
emulsion
foam (cm)
Teacher notes:
- Phenolphthalein will turn the solution a shade of red if the pH is above 8.5
- For the emulsion column have students describe the conditions within the test tube. For
example, did the oil mix? Has the solution become cloudy? Is there a layer of foam? Is there a layer of
scum on top of the water?
- Have students measure the amount of foam above the water line with a ruler.