Headings Alkali Metals Search Questions 
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The Alkali Metals - Uses of Compounds.
1) Sodium Chloride - NaCl.
Sodium chloride is
common salt.
It is used in the food industry as a flavouring and as a preservative.
It is also mixed with grit and spread on roads
to prevent them freezing in
cold conditions.
Electrolysis of
sodium chloride
solution provides useful
products.
Sodium chloride
solution is used in a
water softener
to regenerate the ion exchange
column.
2) Sodium Carbonate - Na2CO3.
Sodium carbonate
(called soda, or washing soda)
is used in the manufacture of glass
and to make water
soft, replacing calcium
ions with sodium ions.
3) Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate - NaHCO3.
Called 'bicarb', is used in
cooking as a raising agent.
Baking powder is a mixture of
sodium hydrogen carbonate
and tartaric acid, to keep the
pH neutral.
4) Sodium Hydroxide (caustic soda) - NaOH.
Sodium hydroxide is
used in the manufacture of paper,
soap and ceramics.
It is used as an alkali cleaner and to
treat aluminium
before anodising.
Sodium hydroxide can be used
to neutralise
an acid to make salts.
5) Potassium Iodide - KI.
Potassium iodide is
added to common salt (NaCl - see the top of
page)
to prevent a lack of iodine in the diet.
Headings Alkali Metals Search Questions
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