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Why are NaOH, KOH and Ba(OH)2 all classified as strong bases?
AThey react only slightly with the water
BThey dissociate completely to release OH-
CThey are all found naturally in seawater
DThey contain more than one hydroxide group
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. They dissociate completely to release OH-
1. These compounds are ionic hydroxides, so dissolving simply separates them into ions.
2. That dissociation is essentially complete under typical conditions.
3. Complete release of OH- is exactly what defines a strong base.
4. Reacting only slightly would make a compound a weak base, as ammonia is.
5. NaOH and KOH each carry one hydroxide group, so counting hydroxide groups is not the test.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry (CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 "Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions", section 4.2 Classifying Chemical Reactions_
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