potassium hydroxide
1
6.1
- noun
- /pəˈtæsiəm haɪˈdrɒksaɪd/
- Specialized
:
hidróxido de potasio
- Today I'm going to be using a very caustic solution of potassium hydroxide to dissolve chicken flesh.
- potassium hydroxide (KOH)
- potassium hydroxide electrolyte
Examples
-
"One part aniline, three parts potassium hydroxide, and one part unknown poison yields one part phenylisocyanide, three parts potassium chloride, and three parts water.
Fiction book (1994) -
In agriculture, potassium hydroxide is often applied to the soil to improve nutrient availability.
-
I am now going to add some aniline and potassium hydroxide.
Fiction book (1994) -
Potassium reacts with water, forming potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.
-
As for biodiesel, safety practices for handling chemicals were taught initially, and the process to make biodiesel was demonstrated using vegetable oil, methanol, and potassium hydroxide.
Academic text (2010) -
Francis Thomas Bacon demonstrated a fuel cell in 1958 that incorporated a stack of 10-inch diameter alkali electrodes made of potassium hydroxide.
Academic text (2010) -
The alkaline cell uses a powered zinc negative electrode, a positive electrode of manganese dioxide, and an electrolyte of potassium hydroxide.
Academic text (2007) -
The electrolyte composition of alkaline fuel cells (AFC) is made up of a solution of potassium hydroxide in water, with any number of nonprecious metal catalysts.
Academic text (2010) -
According to the National Biodiesel Board, an industry-supported group that advocates for the use of biodiesel fuels, the most economical way to convert fat or oil into fuel is to react it with an alcohol that contains a catalyst, usually sodium or potassium hydroxide.
Academic text (2007) -
When cleaning tough stains, many people rely on potassium hydroxide for its strong alkali properties.
Synonyms
1
7.0
A strong chemical used to make soap and fertilizers that can burn your skin
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a systematic chemical name: combining 'potassium' (the metal) with 'hydroxide' (the OH− base) directly yields the compound potassium hydroxide (KOH), so its identity as a potassium-based hydroxide/strong alkali is derivable from the parts. Chemical naming conventions are regular and cross-linguistically similar, so a learner who knows both constituent meanings can understand the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Potassium hydroxide gets its name from its two parts: potassium, the metal, and hydroxide, the 'OH' group of oxygen and hydrogen that makes the chemical very strong and able to break down dirt and grease. So the name shows it is the hydroxide of potassium, which is why people use it as a powerful cleaner and to change how acidic soil is.