Question

Is Sodium Hydroxide an alkali?

Answer 1

Hint : A type of base, an alkali is a chemical compound. It becomes a solution when dipped in water. In essence, all alkalis are bases, but the reverse is not true. The pH of any acid increases when an alkali is added to it. When an acid is added to an alkali, however, the pH drops as the alkali is removed.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
Sodium hydroxide is a strong alkali and a highly caustic metallic base. When mixed with water, sodium hydroxide has a high solubility and makes up half of the saturated solution. Because it can dissociate into $N{a^ + }$ and $O{H^ - }$ ions in water, NaOH is considered a base.
$NaOH(s) + {H_2}O \to N{a^ + }(aq) + O{H^ - }(aq)$
It is also an alkali, with a pH of 12 according to the recorded scale. This makes it a powerful alkali. An alkali is classified as strong or weak based on the degree of dissociation. So, it's a strong alkali if the degree of dissociation in the solution is higher. In Sodium Hydroxide solution, however, the degree of dissociation is greater.
When sodium hydroxide is dissolved in water, it produces a large number of hydroxide ions and a small number of hydrogen ions. When sodium hydroxide is completely ionised in water, sodium and hydroxide ions are formed. The complete dissolution of NaOH results in a high concentration of hydroxide ions in the solution. As a result of these characteristics, sodium hydroxide is a powerful alkali.

Note :
The ability of sodium hydroxide to change fats makes it useful. It is a common ingredient in household products such as liquid drain cleaners and soap. Sodium hydroxide is most commonly sold as white pellets or as a water solution. In bar soaps and detergents, sodium hydroxide is used. To unclog pipes, sodium hydroxide is also used as a drain cleaner.