Question

(a) What happens when ethanoic acid reacts with sodium hydroxide? Write equation of the reaction involved.
(b) What happens when vegetable oils are hydrogenated? Name the catalyst used.
(c) What is the advantage of detergents over soaps for washing clothes? Also state one disadvantage.

Answer 1

(a) When ethanoic acid reacts with sodium hydroxide, a salt called sodium ethanoate along with water is formed.
The chemical equation of the reaction is as follows:
${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}+\mathrm{NaOH}\underset{}{\to {\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COONa}+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}}$

(b) When an unsaturated compound like vegetable oil is hydrogenated at room temperature, saturated product like ghee is formed (semi solid). The catalyst used in this process of hydrogenation is nickel.

(c) Advantages of detergents over soaps:
(i) Detergents can be used with hard water, while soaps cannot be used with hard water.
(ii) The cleansing action of detergents is stronger than soaps.
(iii) Detergents have a greater solubility in water as compared to soaps.

Disadvantage of detergents:
(i) Some detergents are not bio-degradable; therefore, they pollute water bodies like lakes and rivers. Soaps, on the other hand, are bio-degradable and don't cause water pollution.