Base

What’s a Base?

A base is just a type of chemical. But what makes it special is what it does when you mix it with water. You might have heard of acids—like lemon juice or vinegar. Acids make things sour and can eat away stuff.

Bases Do the Opposite

A base does almost the opposite of an acid. When you put a base in water, it releases something called OH⁻ ions (that’s "oh minus" or "hydroxide ions").

• Acids release H⁺ ions (hydrogen ions), making things acidic.
• Bases release OH⁻ ions, making things less acidic or even soapy.

What Happens to pH?

pH is just a number we use to tell if something is acidic or basic:

• Low pH (below 7): Acidic (sour, like lemon juice)
• High pH (above 7): Basic (soapy, like cleaning products)
• pH 7: Neutral (like pure water)

When a base is added to water, it increases the pH, making it more basic (NOT acidic) and less sour.

Examples of Bases:

• Soap, Baking soda, Bleach

Easy way to remember:

Acid = "adds H⁺" = makes water more sour
Base = "adds OH⁻" = makes water more slippery/soapy

Summary

A base is just a chemical that, when put in water, makes the water less acidic (not more!) by adding OH⁻ ions, and makes the pH number go up.

Fun fact: If you touch soap and it’s slippery, it’s because it’s a base!