Is Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) a Strong or Weak Base?
Is Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) a strong or weak base?
NaOH is a strong base that dissociates completely in water to produce Na+ and OH-. The hydroxide ion (OH-) is the actual base that accepts protons.
| Formula | NaOH |
| Name | Sodium Hydroxide |
| Category | Strong base |
| pKa | N/A |
| Conjugate | Water (H₂O) |
| Key Concept | Strong base baseline |
Definition
NaOH is a strong Bronsted-Lowry base. It dissociates completely in water: NaOH -> Na+ + OH-. The hydroxide ion accepts protons from acids.
Acidic Proton / Active Site
NaOH does not donate protons - it is a base, not an acid. The hydroxide ion (OH-) accepts protons from acids.
Conjugate Pair
When OH- accepts a proton, it becomes water (H2O) - the conjugate acid. Water is a very weak acid, confirming that OH- is a strong base.
Strength Classification
NaOH dissociates 100% in water. All Group 1 and Group 2 hydroxides (LiOH, NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)2, Ba(OH)2) are strong bases. "Strong" means complete dissociation.
See acidic protons, conjugate base overlays, and pKa labels on interactive 3D molecules.
Explore Sodium Hydroxide's Acid-Base Properties in 3D