Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Stoichiometry
Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It allows us to calculate how much of a substance is needed or produced in a reaction based on balanced chemical equations. Understanding stoichiometry is essential for determining the amount of NaOH required to react with glyceryl tristearate.
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Molarity
Molarity is a measure of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. It is expressed in moles per liter (M). In this question, the 0.500 M NaOH solution indicates that there are 0.500 moles of NaOH in every liter of solution, which is crucial for calculating the volume needed to react with a specific mass of glyceryl tristearate.
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Chemical Reaction of Saponification
The saponification reaction involves the hydrolysis of fats or oils in the presence of a strong base, such as NaOH, resulting in the formation of glycerol and soap. Glyceryl tristearate, a triglyceride, undergoes saponification when reacted with NaOH. Understanding this reaction is key to determining how much NaOH is required to completely react with the given mass of glyceryl tristearate.
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Ester Reactions: Saponification Concept 1