Skip to main content
alkali

alkali

1 7.0
A substance that dissolves in water to make a strong base and turn litmus blue
  • noun
  • /ˈæl.kə.laɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : álcali
  • Too much alkali in the solution can make it highly basic and potentially harmful.
  • alkali-activated
  • alkali-activated binder
  • alkali metal

Examples

  • And I hope that when I pour in my alkali that these indicator colours would become apparent.

  • Acid plus alkali makes a salt plus water.

  • After the samples were cured for 28 days at a temperature of 60 degrees C, the alkali-activated materials produced a compressive strength of 71.1 MPa.

    Academic text (2018)
  • The compressive strength of alkali-activated tungsten mining waste mud and milled glass waste binder was 22 MPa after 28 days of curing.

    Academic text (2018)
  • When combined with acid, an alkali produces a neutralization reaction that results in salt and water.

  • In chemistry class, we learned that an alkali is a substance that can turn litmus paper blue.

Synonyms

base
vsalkali
  • Specialized
24 5.7

A chemical that neutralizes an acid and often turns litmus paper blue

is a water-soluble group of metal hydroxides and carbonates, not all reactive compounds
lye
vsalkali
  • Specialized
14 8.8

A very strong dangerous liquid that people use to clean and to make soap

is a broader chemical class that includes such strong cleaning solutions

Compounds

8.9

A solitary bee from the western United States that pollinates alfalfa

alkali metal
  • Specialized
5.6

A soft metal that reacts strongly with water, like lithium, sodium, or potassium

9.3

A plant with grasslike leaves that grows in salty or alkaline soil

alkali poisoning
  • Specialized
7.9

Illness from strong cleaners like lye that you swallow, breathe in, or touch

How Basic

caustic
  • Specialized
8.3
alkali
  • Specialized
1 7.0
alkaline
3 5.0
neutrality
  • Specialized
5.3

Surface Forms

alkali singular
alkalis plural

Etymology

Alkali comes from the Arabic word al-qaly, meaning 'plant ashes' that people burned to make lye and soda. This idea is also behind the old English word potash, which comes from ashes used in pots. That's why an alkali is a substance that makes water 'basic' and can turn litmus paper blue.