Final answer:
Saponification: fat + water + base ? Glycerol & Fatty acids . Saponification produces glycerol and soap from the reaction of fats with water and a base, resulting in a) Glycerol; Fatty acids (option a).
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of saponification involves the hydrolysis of fats in the presence of a base and water, resulting in the formation of glycerol and soap. Fats are tri-esters of glycerol and fatty acids, and when these fats are treated with a base, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH), these ingredients react to form soap (sodium salts of fatty acids) and glycerol.
Thus, the answer to the schoolwork question 'Saponification: fat + water + base ? _________ & ____________.' is 'a) Glycerol; Fatty acids.' Indeed, through this reaction, the ester bonds in the triglycerides are broken, and the fatty acids react with the base to form the sodium or potassium salts of these acids, which are the soap molecules.