Which of the following are soaps salts of?

Fatty acids

The correct answer is option 1. Fatty acids.

Soaps are compounds that belong to the class of surfactants, which stands for surface-active agents. These compounds have molecules that contain both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) regions. Soaps are particularly effective at removing dirt, grease, and oil from surfaces, which is why they are commonly used in cleaning products such as hand soap, dishwashing liquid, and laundry detergent.

Soaps are primarily composed of salts of fatty acids. Fatty acids are long-chain carboxylic acids that are derived from natural sources such as fats and oils. They consist of a hydrophilic "head" group, which is the carboxylic acid \((-COOH)\) group, and a hydrophobic "tail" group, which is the long hydrocarbon chain. When a fatty acid reacts with a strong base, such as sodium hydroxide \((NaOH)\) or potassium hydroxide \((KOH)\), it undergoes a chemical reaction known as saponification.

During saponification, the fatty acid molecule reacts with the base to form a salt. In the case of soaps, these salts are formed by replacing the hydrogen atom in the carboxylic acid group with a metal cation, such as sodium \((Na^+)\) or potassium \((K^+)\). The resulting compound is a salt of the fatty acid, which is the soap molecule. For example, when stearic acid (a common fatty acid found in fats and oils) reacts with sodium hydroxide, the salt formed is sodium stearate, which is a type of soap.

The structure of soap molecules allows them to interact with both water and oily substances. The hydrophilic head group is attracted to water molecules, while the hydrophobic tail group is repelled by water and attracted to oily substances. This unique property allows soap molecules to surround and solubilize oily dirt particles, forming micelles that can be easily rinsed away with water, effectively cleaning the surface.

In summary, soaps are salts of fatty acids that are formed by saponification reactions between fatty acids and strong bases. They have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, allowing them to effectively clean surfaces by solubilizing and removing dirt, grease, and oil.