Which category do sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate belong to?

Which category do sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate belong to?

• A. Gases
• B. Acids
• C. Bases (Caustics)
• D. Solids

Answer: (C)

This item tests recognizing base behavior. Sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate are bases because they make solutions alkaline by increasing the concentration of hydroxide ions. Sodium hydroxide dissociates completely in water to produce OH−, a clear indication of a strong base. Sodium carbonate, though a salt, also creates a basic solution because carbonate ions hydrolyze to form OH−, raising the pH. Their caustic nature is a practical reminder of their bases’ ability to corrode and burn organic matter. They are not gases or acids, and while they are solids at room temperature, the defining category here is their basic (alkaline) behavior in solution.

This item tests recognizing base behavior. Sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate are bases because they make solutions alkaline by increasing the concentration of hydroxide ions. Sodium hydroxide dissociates completely in water to produce OH−, a clear indication of a strong base. Sodium carbonate, though a salt, also creates a basic solution because carbonate ions hydrolyze to form OH−, raising the pH. Their caustic nature is a practical reminder of their bases’ ability to corrode and burn organic matter. They are not gases or acids, and while they are solids at room temperature, the defining category here is their basic (alkaline) behavior in solution.