What is a BASE?

• Feels slippery and bitter to taste

• Dissolves fats and oils
-
• Usually forms OH ions in
solution
• Neutralizes acids
• pH greater than 7
• Bases are metal hydroxides.
 Common Bases

• NaOH-Sodium hydroxide (LYE) or caustic soda-soaps, drain

cleaner
• KOH – Potassium hydroxide or caustic potash-bathing or
luxury soaps
• Mg (OH)2 - magnesium hydroxide- antacids
• Al(OH)3- aluminum hydroxide- antacids, deodorants
• NH4OH - ammonium hydroxide - “ammonia”
 Weak vs. Strong Bases
• Weak Bases: Ammonium hydroxide, Zinc
hydroxide, Magnesium hydroxide etc
• Strong Bases: Sodium hydroxide; Potassium
hydroxide; Calcium hydroxide etc
• Strength of a base depends upon the hydroxide
ion concentration per unit volume of its aqueous
solution.
• Bases are strong ionic compounds and hence do
not release 𝑶𝑯− IONS in the absence of water.
• Dissolution of a base in water is exothermic.
 Reactions of Bases
• Turns red litmus blue.
• Some bases are water soluble and are called
alkalies . Eg NaOH and KOH.
• Strong bases ionise completely in the
presence of water to form OH - ions which is
responsible for basic proerties
NaOH → Na + + OH -
• Weak bases ionise partially
Mg(OH) 2 ⇌ Mg2+ + 2 (OH) -
 Acids and Bases in Solution
• HCl + H20  H3O + + Cl- (more
hydronium ions, more acidic)
• NaOH in water  Na+ + OH-
(more hydroxide ions, more basic)
• NaOH + HCl  NaCl + HOH
Acid + Base yields type of salt and water
• NH3 + H20  NH4+ + OH- ammonia
gas + water yields ammonium and hydroxide
ions.
 REACTION OF BASES WITH METALS
• Generally bases do not react with metals . However
metals like Al , Zn and Fe react with NaOH to form
complex compounds along with the release of 𝐻2
gas.

Zn + 2NaOH 𝑵𝒂𝟐 Zn𝑶𝟐 (aq) + 𝑯𝟐

(sodium zincate)

Al + NaOH NaAl𝑶𝟐 (aq) + 𝑯𝟐

(sodium aluminate)