What is hydrogenation?Explain its industrial application?

The addition of hydrogen to an unsaturated hydrocarbon is called hydrogenation. This process takes place in the presence of nickel or palladium metal as a catalyst.

Industrial application of hydrogenation-

a) It is used to prepare ghee from vegetable oil.

b) Vegetable oil such as groundnut, cotton seed oils are unsaturated and contain double bonds. On hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst, vegetable oil produces vanaspati ghee.