The sodium or potassium salts of which acid are defined as soaps? 

The correct answer is Carboxylic acid.

Key Points

• Soaps are defined as the sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids, which are a subcategory of carboxylic acids.
• Carboxylic acids have the general formula R-COOH, where R is a hydrocarbon chain.
• In the soap-making process called saponification, triglycerides react with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH) to form glycerol and the sodium or potassium salts of the fatty acids.
• The carboxylate end of the soap molecule is hydrophilic (water-attracting), while the long hydrocarbon chain is hydrophobic (water-repelling), which helps in emulsifying oils and greases in water, allowing them to be washed away.
• Common examples of fatty acids used in soap making include stearic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acid.

 Additional Information

• Sulphuric acid
  • Sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) is a strong mineral acid used in various industrial processes such as fertilizer production, petroleum refining, and chemical synthesis.
  • It is not used in soap making due to its strong acidic nature and inability to form salts with fatty acids.
• Nitric acid
  • Nitric acid (HNO₃) is another strong mineral acid used primarily in the production of fertilizers, explosives, and in metal processing.
  • It does not react with fatty acids to form soaps.
• Hydrochloric acid
  • Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid used in metal cleaning, food processing, and the production of chlorides.
  • It does not participate in the soap-making process.