This results in the formation of glycerol and a salt - soap. \(Fat/Oil + Sodium\, Hydroxide \rightarrow Soap + Glycerol\) Fats and oils are esters made from glycerol and long chain fatty acids.

The model was initially used to describe the mathematics behind such phenomena as the formation of soap bubbles. It also helped to solve the following problem: When a straw is placed inside a glass of ...

A concentrated solution of soap in water becomes partially opaque on cooling, by the formation of crystals ; this, however, is not the case with a similarly concentrated alcoholic solution.