Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. All the bases a

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. All the bases are alkali.
2. All alkalis dissolve in water.
3. Alkalis are soapy to touch, bitter in taste and corrosive in nature.

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

1 only

1 and 3 only

2 and 3 only

3 only

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-2 – 2021

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Statement 1 is false. Bases are substances that can accept protons or donate electron pairs. Alkalis are a specific type of base – those that are soluble in water and dissociate to produce hydroxide ions (OH⁻). Therefore, all alkalis are bases, but not all bases are alkalis (because not all bases dissolve in water). Statement 2 is true by definition: Alkalis are precisely those bases that are soluble in water. Statement 3 is true: Alkalis have characteristic properties including feeling soapy/slippery to touch, having a bitter taste, and being corrosive.

An alkali is a base that is soluble in water. Thus, the set of alkalis is a subset of the set of bases. General properties of alkalis include slipperiness, bitter taste, and corrosiveness.

Examples of bases include metal oxides (like CuO), metal hydroxides (like NaOH), and ammonia (NH₃). Examples of alkalis include soluble metal hydroxides (like NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)₂, NH₄OH). CuO is a base but not an alkali as it is insoluble in water.

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