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What is the Difference between Strong and Weak Alkalis?
Alkalis
and acids can be described as
strong or weak.
This does not mean the same as concentrated or
dilute.
The strength of an alkali (or acid)
depends
on how ionised it is in water.
An alkali forms hydroxide
ions (OH-
ions) in water.
What is a Strong Alkali?
A strong alkali is completely
(100%) ionised.
An example of a strong alkali
is sodium
hydroxide.
A strong alkali has a pH
of 14.
sodium
hydroxide (in
water) sodium
ion + hydroxide ion
NaOH(aq)
Na+(aq) +
OH-(aq)
Sodium
hydroxide exists only as ions
both as a solid and
dissolved in water (see examples of other strong alkalis).
What is a Weak Alkali?
A weak
alkali
is only
partly (less than 100%)
ionised.
An example of a weak alkali
is ammonia.
A weak alkali has a pH
of 11 or 12.
ammonia + water ammonium ion + hydroxide
ion
NH3(g) +
H2O(l) NH4+(aq)
+ OH-(aq)
Some
of the ammonia molecules become ions in water
but
most of them stay as molecules.
Ammonia in water makes ammonium hydroxide
solution
(NH4OH(aq)). This is also called ammonia solution.
Links Alkalis Revision Questions
gcsescience.com The Periodic Table Index Alkali Quiz gcsescience.com
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