Sodium hydroxide is an alkali but aluminium hydroxide is not alkali. why?
Answers
Answer:
sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide are soluble in water. ... But bases like copper hydroxide Cu(OH)2 ferric hydroxide (Fe(OH)3) aluminium hydroxide (Al(OH)3)do not dissolve in water. They are, therefore, not alkalis. Hence, all alkalis are bases, but all bases are not alkalis.
Explanation:
Metal hydroxides are basic in water. Non-metal oxides are acids in water. The limit between metals and non-metals is a sort of staircase going through the periodic table from the middle of the first line to the lower corner at the right-hand side. Aluminium touches this staircase. This is why Aluminium behaves like a metal and like a non-metal, and why aluminium oxide can react with acids and with bases. Tin Sn has the same property.