The reaction of vegetable oil with a solution of wood ash is
Answer Details
The reaction of vegetable oil with a solution of wood ash is called saponification. This is a chemical process that involves the conversion of a fat or oil into soap and glycerol. When vegetable oil is mixed with a solution of wood ash, the ash provides the hydroxide ions which react with the oil to form soap molecules and glycerol. The soap molecules are composed of a hydrophilic (water-loving) head and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) tail. This allows them to interact with both water and oil, making them effective at cleaning. Saponification is an important industrial process for producing soap, as well as for the production of biodiesel.