Meaning & use
sodium hydroxide
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountablechemistry
A strong white alkaline chemical, NaOH, that dissolves in water and is used to make soap, paper and cleaning products.
Grammar: No plural in normal use: a solution of sodium hydroxide.
Patterns
- a solution of sodium hydroxide
- sodium hydroxide in water
Soap makers react oils with sodium hydroxide to produce soap.
Drain cleaners often contain sodium hydroxide, so wear gloves.
The students used sodium hydroxide to neutralize the acid in the experiment.
Common combinations
- sodium hydroxide solution
- A dilute sodium hydroxide solution was added to the flask.
- dissolve sodium hydroxide
- Never dissolve sodium hydroxide in warm water without care.
- react with sodium hydroxide
- The acid will react with sodium hydroxide to form a salt.
- pellets of sodium hydroxide
- The lab provided pellets of sodium hydroxide.
- corrosive sodium hydroxide
- Corrosive sodium hydroxide can burn skin.
Synonyms and how they differ
- caustic soda
- Caustic soda is the common industrial name for the same chemical and sounds less technical.
- lye
- Lye is the traditional word, especially in soap making and cooking, and may also mean potassium hydroxide.
- NaOH
- NaOH is its chemical formula, used in equations and labels.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: sodium hydroxide or sodium chloride? sodium hydroxide or sodium bicarbonate?
sodium hydroxide vs sodium chloride
Sodium chloride is table salt, which is safe to eat, while sodium hydroxide is a strong corrosive base.
sodium hydroxide vs sodium bicarbonate
Sodium bicarbonate is baking soda, a mild alkali used in cooking.
Practice
Sodium hydroxide is best described as ...
Choose one answer.
Sodium hydroxide is a strongly alkaline, corrosive base. Table salt is sodium chloride, and noble gases are unreactive elements.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sodium hydroxide”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.