Physical Properties of Alkalis

Alkalis have the following properties:

 Alkalis have bitter taste and a slippery soapy feel.

 Alkaline solutions have pH values greater than 7.
 Alkaline solutions turn red litmus paper blue.

Chemical Properties of Alkalis

There are four common reactions of alkalis:

 Neutralisation reaction
 Reaction with ammonium salt
 Precipitation of metal hydroxides
 Reaction with metals

1. Neutralisation Reaction
When an alkali reacts with an acid, the reaction is called a neutralisation reaction.

In a neutralisation reaction, only salt and water are produced.

Alkali+acid→salt+water

All neutralisation can be summarized as the following:

 Metal oxides:  O2−+H+→H2O
 Metal hydroxides:  OH−+H+→H2O

Example of neutralisation reactions:

 Zinc oxide and hydrochloric acid:  ZnO(s)+2HCl(aq)→ZnCl2(aq)+H2O(l)
 Sodium hydroxide and sulphuric acid:  2NaOH(aq)
+H2SO4(aq)→Na2SO4(aq)+2H2O(l)
 2. Reaction With Ammonia Salts

When a mixture of an alkali and ammonium salt is heated, ammonia gas is given
off.

Alkali+ammonium salt heat

→
ammonia gas

The reaction is summarized as:

OH−+NH4+→NH3+H2O

Example of such a reaction:

 Ammonium chloride and sodium hydroxide: 

NH4Cl(s)+NaOH(s)heat
→
NaCl(s)+NH3(g)+H2O(l)

 ammonium sulphate and calcium hydroxide: 

(NH4)2SO4(s)+Ca(OH2)(s)heat
→
CaSO4(s)+2NH3(g)+2H2O(l)

3. Precipitation of Metal Hydroxides

Solutions of alkalis are used to precipitate insoluble metal hydroxides from
solutions of their salts.

Mn+(aq)+nOH−(aq)→M(OH)n(s)

Example of such a reaction:

Aqueous sodium hydroxide and aqueous copper(II) sulphate

2NaOH(aq)+CuSO4(aq)→Cu(OH)2(s)+Na2SO4(aq)

or:  Cu2+(aq)+2OH−(aq)→Cu(OH)2(s)

A blue precipitate of copper(II) hydroxide is produced.

Aqueous sodium hydroxide and aqueous magnesium chloride

2NaOH(aq)+MgCl2(aq)→Mg(OH)2(s)+2NaCl(aq)

or:  Mg2+(aq)+2OH−(aq)→Mg(OH) (s)

A white precipate of magnesium hydroxide is produced.

Reaction with metals

Alkalis usually do not react with metals.

Strong alkalis such as sodium hydroxide react with aluminium to give hydrogen.

2Al(s)+6NaOH(aq)+6H2O(l)→2Na3Al(OH)6(s)+3H2(g)2Al(s)+6NaOH(aq)
+6H2O(l)→2Na3Al(OH)6(s)+3H2(g)