Alkali salts

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Alkali salts or base salts are salts which contain one or more hydroxide ions. Rather than being neutral, as normal salts are usually, they are weak bases. The acidic equivalent of a base salt is an acid salt.

Where base salts are weak bases, acid salts are weak acids. (I thought it was the other way around... Basic salts should be strong bases but weak acids. Acidic salts should be strong acids but weak bases. Please delete this once this is verified.)

Salts are formed in water when acids and bases react. They are usually neutral.

[edit] Common Basic Salts

Most basic salts are also alkali salts, for example:

• sodium hydroxide (often called "caustic soda")
• potassium hydroxide (commonly called "potash")
• lye (generic term, for either of the previous two, or even for a mixture)
• calcium carbonate (sometimes called "free lime")

[edit] See also

• Alkali