alkali Definition
al·kali (al′kə lī′)
noun pl. -·lies′ or -·lis′
- any base or hydroxide, as soda, potash, etc. that is soluble in water and gives a high concentration of hydroxyl ions in solution; specif., any of the hydroxides and carbonates of the alkali metals
- any soluble substance, as a mineral salt or mixture of salts, that can neutralize acids, has a pH greater than 7.0, and turns litmus blue: strong alkalies are caustic
Etymology: ME alkaly < Ar al-qily, for al-qili, the ashes (of saltwort) < qalai, to roast in a pan
alkali Synonyms
alkali
n.
Varieties include: lye, salt, soda, ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, potassium hydrate, sodium hydrate, lithium hydrate, caesium hydrate, rubidium hydrate, ammonium hydrate, lime, magnesia, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate.
alkali Usage Examples
Converse of subject
destroy: F F F T T All solutions of suxamethonium are destroyed by alkali, and should never be mixed with thiopentone.
Converse of object
- dilute: The ester is heated under reflux with a dilute alkali like sodium hydroxide solution.
- add: Pure distilled water has a pH value of 7.0 Adding an alkali to the water will cause the pH value to rise.
- use: To maintain an alkali buffer you would need to use a weak alkali with its salt.
- call: Acids and Bases Robert Boyle in the seventeenth century first identified substances as either acids or bases ( he called bases alkalis )... .
- escape: No matter how painful, the birds cannot escape the caustic alkali.
- produce: The project for producing alkali by the decomposition of salt posed a serious threat to the industry.
Adjective modifier
- caustic: No matter how painful, the birds cannot escape the caustic alkali.
- mild: Treat with mild alkali and flush to waste with plenty of water.
- weak: To maintain an alkali buffer you would need to use a weak alkali with its salt.
- strong: It couldn't distinguish between a weak acid with a pH of 5 or a strong alkali with a pH of 14.
- excess: New concrete surfaces must be well washed before use to remove all the excess surface alkali.
- remaining: With alkali, 2nd order kinetics are observed overall, and the reaction can be followed by titrating the remaining alkali with acid.
Modifies a noun
- feldspar: In some rocks, particularly alkali granites, the entire volume of the alkali feldspar has been recrystallized.
- halide: There are also interactive links for energy tables needed for all the alkali metal halides.
- cation: During the first rinsing step excess of alkali cations is removed by cleaning the matrix surface with up to a few mL of water.
- hydroxide: The very rapid reaction with cold water forms the alkali potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.
- silica: However, there are some concerns regarding the susceptibility of RCA to alkali silica reaction ( ASR ).
- metal: They become more reactive Why are the alkali metals together in group 1?
Preposition: in
concrete: Used as damp proof floor sealing, pond sealing, sealing concrete prior to GRP sheathing where alkali in concrete can react with resins.
Browse dictionary entries near alkali
- ‹ alkalescence
- ‹ alkahest
- ‹ ALJ
- ‹ alizarin
- ‹ aliyah
- ‹ alive
- ‹ aliunde rule
- ‹ aliunde
- ‹ Alito
- ‹ alit
- alkali flat ›
- alkali metal ›
- alkalic ›
- alkalimeter ›
- alkaline ›
- alkaline-earth metal ›
- alkalinize ›
- alkalize ›
- alkaloid ›
- alkalosis ›

