Alkalis are a group of substances produced from alkali metals. These substances are more destructive to the skin than most acids, among their properties is that of being soluble in water, their solutions carry electric current, create soapy compounds when they come into contact with water, in high concentrations they can cause chemical burns., so it is important to exercise caution when using them.
The alkali metals are made up of common elements such as potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. These metals are very reactive, especially with elements with higher atomic numbers than those with smaller numbers. This means that they are prone to losing an electron to have a general positive charge and they mix with halogen, such as chlorine.
Alkalis are so reactive that they are almost never found in their pure natural state. When mixed with water they react so strongly that they can cause an explosion. These reactions in water produce a hydroxide, like sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. The most used names of these substances are: alum, lime, bleach, soda, chlorine, ammonia. Substance widely used by people for cleaning and manufacturing.
Sodium hydroxide or caustic soda is a highly corrosive alkali, it is used in the industry for the manufacture of detergents, textiles, paper and other materials. As domestic use it is used to uncover the drains of the house since these salts easily dissolve the organic substances present in the pipes.
The potassium hydroxide is of inorganic origin and the like sodium dioxide is part of the strong alkali. It is used for staining leathers, cleaning drain pipes, and in cuticle removers.
Ammonia is an alkali whose chemical composition is formed naturally, it is characterized by having a strong and annoying smell, it generally comes in a gaseous form and easy to dissolve in water. It is used for industrial use, cooling agent, bleaching agent, fertilizer manufacturing, home cleaning, among others.
