10 facts on...
by Philip McIntosh
TURN UP THE
BASE?
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There are acids and there are bases. And then, of course, there are salts.
Let’s talk about bases this time.
BASES COUNTERACT the properties and behaviors
of acids. If you split a water molecule just right, you get a
hydronium ion (H+) and a hydroxide ion (OH-).
BASES ALSO REACT with fats and oils,
which is why lye (NaOH or, historically,
KOH) is added to tallow to make a
simple kind of soap.
LIKE ACIDS,
bases are
characterized by
their pH value—the
negative logarithm of
the H+ concentration.
A solution with a
pH greater than 7
has more free OHions, which is what
makes it basic.
IT’S THE RATIO of H+ to OH- that determines the
acidity or basicity of a solution. More OH- makes it a base.
BASIC SOLUTIONS are not created by
splitting up water molecules. Basic solutions
are made by the dissolution of a substance
that releases free hydroxide ions.
UNLIKE
ACIDS,
which tend
to be sticky,
sour-tasting,
and have a
strong smell,
bases tend to
be slippery and
bitter-tasting,
with little odor.
COMMON SOURCES
WAIT A MINUTE! Ammonia? Yes, Ammonia
has a strong affinity for an additional proton (H+),
so when it’s added to water it rips one off a water
molecule to produce NH4+ and OH- in solution.
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Maximum Yield USA | January 2017
of hydroxide ions include
sodium hydroxide (NaOH),
potassium hydroxide (KOH),
and ammonia (NH3).
PEOPLE TEND to fear acids, but bases can be
dangerous, too. A strong solution of NaOH is used
to dissolve flesh off of bone. Don’t get any on you.