what is soap in chemistry

In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid. It is typically made through a process called saponification, which involves the hydrolysis of a triglyceride (fat or oil) using an alkaline solution, usually lye (sodium hydroxide). This process results in the formation of carboxylate salts, which are the soap molecules. Soaps are surfactants that possess the ability to remove dirt from various surfaces by solubilizing particles and fats/oils, allowing them to be washed away with water. The molecules of soap contain a hydrophobic (water- insoluble) part, such as a fatty acid, and a hydrophilic (water-soluble) group, which makes the molecule soluble in water