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In chemistry, an alkali (/ ˈ æ l k ə l aɪ /; from the Arabic word al-qāly, القلوي) is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7.0.
A strong base is a basic chemical compound that can remove a proton (H +) from (or deprotonate) a molecule of even a very weak acid (such as water) in an acid–base reaction. Common examples of strong bases include hydroxides of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, like NaOH and Ca(OH) 2, respectively. Due to their low solubility, some ...
Alkali hydroxides are formed in the reaction between alkali metals and water. A typical school demonstration demonstrates what happens when a piece of an alkali metal is introduced to a bowl of water. A vigorous reaction occurs, producing hydrogen gas and the specific alkali hydroxide. For example, if sodium is the alkali metal:
Caustic potash/caustic wood alkali – potassium hydroxide, formed by adding lime to potash. Caustic Soda/caustic marine alkali – sodium hydroxide, NaOH, formed by adding lime to natron. Caustic volatile alkali – ammonium hydroxide. Corrosive sublimate – mercuric chloride, formed by subliming mercury, calcined green vitriol, common salt ...
They consist of hydroxide (OH −) anions and metallic cations, [1] and are often strong bases. Some metal hydroxides, such as alkali metal hydroxides, ionize completely when dissolved. Certain metal hydroxides are weak electrolytes and dissolve only partially in aqueous solution.
Alkali salts or base salts are salts that are the product of incomplete neutralization of a strong base and a weak acid. Rather than being neutral (as some other salts), alkali salts are bases as their name suggests. What makes these compounds basic is that the conjugate base from the weak acid hydrolyzes to form a basic solution.
For example, when sodium hydroxide reacts with hydrochloric acid, sodium chloride is formed: NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H 2 O(l) In general, such neutralization reactions are represented by one simple net ionic equation: OH − (aq) + H + (aq) → H 2 O(l) This type of reaction with a strong acid releases heat, and hence is exothermic.
These are not the only phosphides and arsenides of the alkali metals: for example, potassium has nine different known phosphides, with formulae K 3 P, K 4 P 3, K 5 P 4, KP, K 4 P 6, K 3 P 7, K 3 P 11, KP 10.3, and KP 15. [120] While most metals form arsenides, only the alkali and alkaline earth metals form mostly ionic arsenides.