Talk:Base (chemistry)

message: :The amino group (NH2−) acts as a base by accepting a H+ ion from the solution. It does this by forming a coordinate covalent bond with the unshared pair of electrons belonging to the nitrogen atom. This decreases the hydrogen ion concentration.
This subject is rather 'basic', so I think the article should be targeted at readers with little chemical background. Therefore I replaced the above example with the simpler case of ammonia.
—Herbee 17:28, 2004 Mar 9 (UTC)
I really liked this page it was very helpful!
THe reactions show hydrogen ions, but the wording says hydronium
maybe we should change the equations to have H30+
I had not seen H3O+ before. I am much more familiar with hydrogen nuclei, H+, in acids - Andrew.
Out of curiosity, are strong bases just as dangerous (if not more) as strong acids to objects and, more importantly, humans? —Jay
:I believe so, yes. Amonia (I think) is a base, and I know it's dangerous when inhaled. Also, drinking a base could kill you. ;)
The Slash 05:21, 5 May 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Comments

message: therefore more dangerous than acids?
   acids can too  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.229.64.229 (talk) 02:55, 28 February 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  can denature proteins? 

message: there is info in acids page about bases that could be put here. thoughts? --nkayesmith 10:41, 5 March 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: I too agree that the section on Definitions of Acids & Bases could be basically copied here and then eggs are so delicious. --Dawn Burn 04:37, 19 June 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  info in acids page 

message: Is really soap is a kind of alkali?Martin 04:24, 14 May 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: soap (in its simplest form) is simply a salt of a fatty acid, for example sodium stearate. It has a basic pH because it's a salt of a weak acid and a strong base. Lye (NaOH or KOH) isn't an ingredient, it's a reagent used to neutralize the fatty acids when making soap. And yes, that's what seems to happen on your skin when you touch a strong base - it reacts with your oils making soap (which is slippery because it's a surfactant which has nothing to do with its pH) Cubbi 04:56, 8 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  About soap 

message: I dont think that the pages should be merged, but that the strong bases page should be made more comprehensive.  They are both useful, and I have used them and the Acid pages to help me with a chemistry project.
However, a merge would have benefits.  If they were combined, then finding what you wanted may be easier.
I don't know.
Could be good, could be bad.
Probably useful, though.
Commander Bubble 11:12, 13 September 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Undecided 

message: I am counting 4 editors in favor of merge, one against and one undecided, so unless there are objections the proposed merge will take place within 48 hours and try to keep merge discussion within one discussion please..V8rik 20:11, 29 September 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  decision time merge! 

message: Under Base Definitions: "Bases may also be weak bases such as ammonia"
Then Neutralization of Acids: "Neutralizing acid spills with strong bases, such as lye or ammonia..."
Yeah... I'll just change the latter, feel free to argue that ammonia is actually a strong base(about 1% of it is protonated, although don't check the ammonia article on that; it says the exact opposite and I've posted there as well) Lowe--81.233.253.191 12:25, 14 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Strong AND weak? 

message: Acid solutions taste sour, even dilute solutions of weak acids such as acetic acid.  Thus, I'd expect you can taste sodium bicarbonate to get the taste of a base.  To my palate, the taste of baking soda is not bitter.  I taste bitter when I taste alkaloids.  My schooling used the term "brackish" to define the taste of a base.  Perhaps, there's a better term.  However, I'd like to see something other than "bitter" describing the taste of a base.
Chemperson 23:08, 25 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Strong bases taste bitter, from my experience. Cubbi 00:44, 26 April 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Baking soda is not a base, it is a salt (chemistry). --Chemicalinterest (talk) 00:39, 8 September 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Tasting a base 

message: It's just plain confusing to read.  Can someone who knows what this is about please make it easier to understand?  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.20.200.74 (talk) 01:19, 20 November 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I personally think the page is quite clear. While I might be judging this article's standards by the little chemistry I know, I do not think we can clarify it further. Although, reading over the introduction to the article, it could use some cleanup, and a little merger of sentences rather than short fragmented sentences, with special conditions written in brackets, rather than specifically emphasized on. Do keep in mind that Wikipedia is not a Textbook, and thus can only present facts, not teach it. Aly89 (talk) 02:32, 20 November 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Another Overtechnical Wikipedia Page 

message: An IP editor raised "Bases are different from alkalis" in the article. I have moved it here. Is this difference adequately dealt with? --Bduke  (Discussion) 04:41, 9 April 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Some Confusion

message: Is it known who came up with this word in chemistry? Why are bases called bases? Is the root meaning the same as in a baseball base or a space base, or is this "base" really a totally different word? www.etymonline.com doesn't have anything on this. Please include this info if you have it. -- 92.229.71.18 (talk) 14:47, 9 May 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: See Definitions section, second paragraph re the 18th century French chemist Rouelle who introduced the word. Dirac66 (talk) 01:02, 8 September 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: Apperently Rouelle is no longer mentioned in the article. Still, I'm sure etymology is important. This article (Jensen, William B. (2006). "The origin of the term "base"". The Journal of Chemical Education 83 (8): 1130. doi:10.1021/ed083p1130, http://www.che.uc.edu/Jensen/W.%20B.%20Jensen/Reprints/129.%20Base.pdf) would probably help, I'll add it to the article.95.25.177.242 (talk) 02:40, 22 June 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: Thanks for pointing out that it was gone. I searched the Revision history and found that the paragraph on etymology was deleted on 8 Apr 2013, along with the rest of the Definitions section whose content is duplicated elsewhere in the article. In fact the source for this paragraph was the same paper by Jensen, so I have restored the paragraph to the Wiki article, and used your formatting for the reference for easier reader access to Jensen's paper. Dirac66 (talk) 03:17, 22 June 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Etymology? 

message: why do we use strong bases to clean? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.71.228.48 (talk) 12:44, 18 May 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: They can dissolve hair and grease. --Chemicalinterest (talk) 00:40, 8 September 2010 (UTC)
thread_title: Question

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thread_title:  External links modified 

message: The definition of base at the beginning , is not so good , compared to the definition of acid.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Wholecube (talk • contribs) 14:58, 9 November 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  Definition 

message: Should "Very strong bases can even deprotonate very weakly acidic C–H groups in the absence of water." be moved from the strong base to the superbase section?
--Robert Rossi (talk) 12:07, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  Strong Base vs Superbase 

message: proposes that Alkali should be merged into Base (chemistry). Sassygamer483, please state why you think the articles should be merged. Mdewman6 (talk) 02:45, 18 December 2021 (UTC)
thread_title:  Merger proposal 

message: Both articles need more detailed distinction between bases and alkalis. I have made some already below, and active editors may add on to the text to make it detailed.
All alkalis are water-soluble bases and but all bases are not alkalis. 2. Alkalis are metal hydroxides  and metal oxides of Group IA and Group IIA of the Periodic Table whereas bases are substances that neutralize acids to form salts and water. Examples of water-insoluble bases (that are not alkalis) include copper oxide, ferrous oxide, ferric oxide, zinc carbonate, etc. SassyGamer483 (talk) 06:25, 18 December 2021 (UTC)
thread_title:  Adequate distinction between bases and [[alkalis]] needed 

message: I think there is a key error in the "Reactions between bases and water" section in this article: when bases react with water and take a proton, thus outcompeting the resulting hydroxide ions for that proton, that indicates that it is a stronger base, not weaker, and its equilibrium constant value should be larger, not smaller. The pKb value, however, would be smaller.
:Above comment added by user 204.84.6.15 on 4 March 2022 (and then moved down to end of talk page)
:Reply: The point is that for a weak base B in (pure) water, only a very small fraction of B molecules take a proton from water to become BH+. If only 1% of B is protonated to BH+, then B is indeed considered a weak base as the article says. Dirac66 (talk) 01:25, 27 March 2022 (UTC)
thread_title: Comment