alkali Hear it!

alkali Definition

al·kali (alkə lī′)

noun pl. -·lies′ or -·lis′

  1. 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
  2. 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.

salt, antacid, base, caustic soda.

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

  1. alkalescence
  2. alkahest
  3. ALJ
  4. alizarin
  5. aliyah
  6. alive
  7. aliunde rule
  8. aliunde
  9. Alito
  10. alit
  1. alkali flat
  2. alkali metal
  3. alkalic
  4. alkalimeter
  5. alkaline
  6. alkaline-earth metal
  7. alkalinize
  8. alkalize
  9. alkaloid
  10. alkalosis