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Chemistry vocabulary · Acids, Bases and Salts

Base

Meaning in chemistry, with examples

nounCore term

In chemistry, base means: A substance that accepts protons (H⁺) or releases hydroxide ions (OH⁻) in water. Its solutions have a pH above 7 and turn red litmus paper blue.

In Turkish: baz

How it is used

Used together with 'acid' in acid–base chemistry. Common lab bases are sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and ammonia. A base that dissolves in water is called an alkali, and its solution is described as alkaline or basic.

Example sentences

  1. Sodium hydroxide is a strong base, so wear goggles when you handle it.

  2. Add the base dropwise until the solution turns pink.

Common collocations

  • strong base
  • weak base
  • conjugate base
  • add base
  • acid–base titration
  • acidA substance that releases hydrogen ions (H⁺) in water or, more generally, donates protons. Its water solutions have a pH below 7 and turn blue litmus paper red.
  • pHA scale, usually from 0 to 14, that shows how acidic or basic a solution is. Below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral at 25 °C and above 7 is basic; it equals −log[H⁺].
  • neutralizationThe reaction between an acid and a base that produces a salt and water and brings the pH closer to 7.
  • saltAn ionic compound made of positive and negative ions, usually formed when an acid reacts with a base. Sodium chloride is the best known, but there are thousands of others.
  • bufferA solution that resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added. It usually contains a weak acid and its conjugate base, such as acetic acid and sodium acetate.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Acids, Bases and Salts

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