The chemical formula for caustic soda is NaOH.
Physical Properties of Caustic Soda:
| Characteristic | Details |
| Appearance | White solid or flakes |
| Boiling Point | 1,388 °C (2,530 °F) |
| Crystal Structure | Monoclinic or orthorhombic |
| Density | 2.13 g/cm³ |
| Electrical Conductivity | High conductivity in aqueous solutions |
| Melting Point | 318.4 °C (605.1 °F) |
| Odor | Odorless |
| pH | Highly alkaline (typically pH 13-14) |
| Solubility | Highly soluble in water |
Chemical Properties of Caustic Soda:
| Characteristic | Details |
| Chemical Formula | NaOH |
| Chemical Reaction with Water | Exothermic reaction, produces heat |
| Corrosiveness | Corrosive to metals, glass, and many materials |
| Decomposition | Decomposes at high temperatures (>600 °C) |
| Ionization | Dissociates into Na⁺ and OH⁻ ions in water |
| Neutralization | Used for neutralizing acidic solutions |
| Reactivity | Highly reactive with acids and acidic compounds |
| Reactivity with Organics | Reacts with various organic compounds |
| Saponification | Reacts with fats to produce soap |
Reaction of caustic soda with Alkali Metal
| Alkali Metal | Reaction with Caustic Soda | Chemical Equation |
| Lithium (Li) | Forms lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2Li + 2NaOH react and convert into 2LiOH + H2 |
| Sodium (Na) | Forms sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2Na + 2NaOH react and convert into 2Na2O + H2 |
| Potassium (K) | Forms potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2K + 2NaOH react and convert into 2KOH + H2 |
| Rubidium (Rb) | Forms rubidium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2Rb + 2NaOH react and convert into 2RbOH + H2 |
| Cesium (Cs) | Forms cesium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2Cs + 2NaOH react and convert into 2CsOH + H2 |
| Francium (Fr) | Reacts vigorously with water and caustic soda (NaOH) | 2Fr + 2H2O react and convert into 2FrOH + H2, 2Fr + 2NaOH react and convert into 2FrOH + 2Na + H2 |
Reaction of caustic soda with Alkaline Earth Metal
| Alkaline Earth Metal | Reaction with Caustic Soda | Chemical Equation |
| Beryllium (Be) | Forms beryllium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2Be + 2NaOH react and convert into 2Be(OH)2 + H2 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | Forms magnesium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | Mg + 2NaOH react and convert into Mg(OH)2 + H2 |
| Calcium (Ca) | Forms calcium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | Ca + 2NaOH react and convert into Ca(OH)2 + H2 |
| Strontium (Sr) | Forms strontium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | Sr + 2NaOH react and convert into Sr(OH)2 + H2 |
| Barium (Ba) | Forms barium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | Ba + 2NaOH react and convert into Ba(OH)2 + H2 |
| Radium (Ra) | Reacts vigorously with water and caustic soda (NaOH) | Ra + 2H2O react and convert into Ra(OH)2 + H2, Ra + 2NaOH react and convert into Ra(OH)2 + 2Na + H2 |
Reaction of caustic soda with Transition Metal
| Transition Metal | Reaction with Caustic Soda | Chemical Equation |
| Iron (Fe) | Forms iron(II) hydroxide and hydrogen gas | Fe + 2NaOH react and convert into Fe(OH)2 + H2 |
| Alternatively, forms iron(III) hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2Fe + 6NaOH react and convert into 2Fe(OH)3 + 3 H2 |
| Copper (Cu) | Forms copper(II) oxide and water | Cu + 2NaOH react and convert into CuO + H2O |
| Zinc (Zn) | Forms zincate ion and hydrogen gas | Zn + 2NaOH + 2H2O react and convert into Na2[Zn(OH)4] + H2 |
| Aluminum (Al) | Forms sodium aluminate and hydrogen gas | 2Al + 2NaOH + 6H2O react and convert into 2Na[Al(OH)4] + 3 H2 |
| Nickel (Ni) | Forms nickel(II) hydroxide and hydrogen gas | Ni + 2NaOH react and convert into Ni(OH)2 + H2 |
| Chromium (Cr) | Forms chromium(III) hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2Cr + 6NaOH + 3H2O react and convert into 2Na3[Cr(OH)6] + 3 H2 |
| Manganese (Mn) | Forms manganese(II) hydroxide and hydrogen gas | Mn + 2NaOH react and convert into Mn(OH)2 + H2 |
Reaction of caustic soda with Non-Transition Metal
| Non-Transition Metal | Reaction with Caustic Soda | Chemical Equation |
| Aluminum (Al) | Forms sodium aluminate and hydrogen gas | 2Al + 2NaOH + 6H2O react and convert into 2Na[Al(OH)4] + 3 H2 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | Forms magnesium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | Mg + 2NaOH react and convert into Mg(OH)2 + H2 |
| Calcium (Ca) | Forms calcium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | Ca + 2NaOH react and convert into Ca(OH)2 + H2 |
| Potassium (K) | Forms potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2K + 2NaOH + 2H2O react and convert into 2Na+ + 2KOH + H2 |
| Sodium (Na) | Forms sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas | 2Na + 2NaOH react and convert into 2Na2O + H2 |
| Zinc (Zn) | Forms zincate ion and hydrogen gas | Zn + 2NaOH + 2H2O react and convert into Na2[Zn(OH)4] + H2 |
| Tin (Sn) | Forms stannate ion and hydrogen gas | Sn + 2NaOH + 2H2O react and convert into Na2[Sn(OH)6] + H2 |
| Lead (Pb) | Forms plumbate ion and hydrogen gas | Pb + 4NaOH + O2 react and convert into Na2PbO2 + 2H2O |
| Bismuth (Bi) | Forms bismuthate ion and hydrogen gas | Bi + 2NaOH + 2H2O react and convert into Na2BiO3 + 3 H2 |
Reaction of caustic soda with Metalloid
| Metalloid | Reaction with Caustic Soda | Chemical Equation |
| Boron (B) | Forms boric acid and sodium borate | B2O3 + 6NaOH + 9H2O react and convert into 2Na3BO3 + 9H2O |
| Silicon (Si) | Forms sodium silicate and hydrogen gas | Si + 2NaOH + 2H2O react and convert into Na2SiO3 + 3 H2 |
| Arsenic (As) | Forms sodium arsenate and hydrogen gas | 2As + 6NaOH + 3H2O react and convert into 2Na3AsO4 + 3 H2 |
| Germanium (Ge) | Forms sodium germanate and hydrogen gas | Ge + 2NaOH + 2H2O react and convert into Na2GeO3 + 3 H2 |
| Antimony (Sb) | Forms sodium antimonate and hydrogen gas | Sb + 6NaOH + 3H2O react and convert into 2Na3SbO4 + 3 H2 |
Reaction of caustic soda with Non-metal
| Non-metal | Reaction with Caustic Soda | Chemical Equation |
| Carbon (C) | Forms sodium carbonate and hydrogen gas | C + 2NaOH react and convert into Na2CO3 + H2 |
| Nitrogen (N) | Forms sodium nitrite and ammonia gas | 2NaOH + N2O react and convert into NaNO2 + NH3 + H2O |
| Phosphorus (P) | Forms sodium phosphate and hydrogen gas | P4 + 20NaOH + 20H2O react and convert into 4Na3PO4 + 10 H2 |
| Sulfur (S) | Forms sodium sulfide and hydrogen sulfide gas | S + 2NaOH react and convert into Na2S + H2S |
| Chlorine (Cl) | Forms sodium hypochlorite and salt | 2NaOH + Cl2 react and convert into NaCl + NaClO + H2O |
Reaction of caustic soda with Lanthanide
| Lanthanide | Reaction with Caustic Soda | Chemical Equation |
| Lanthanum (La) | Forms lanthanum hydroxide | 2NaOH + La(NO3)3 react and convert into La(OH)3↓ + 3NaNO3 |
Reaction of caustic soda with Actinide
| Actinide | Reaction with Caustic Soda | Chemical Equation |
| Uranium (U) | Forms uranium hydroxide | 2NaOH + UO2(NO3)2 react and convert into U(OH)4↓ + 2NaNO3 + H2O |
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