Typically, an inorganic base is a compound that contains hydroxide ions (OH-), such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH). When these compounds dissolve in water, the hydroxide ions are released into the solution, resulting in the formation of free OH- ions in the water. The dissociation of an inorganic base in water can be represented by the following general equation:
Inorganic base(aq) → Cations(aq) + Hydroxide ions(aq)
For example, when sodium hydroxide (NaOH) dissolves in water, it dissociates into sodium ions (Na+) and hydroxide ions (OH-), as shown in the equation:
NaOH(aq) → Na+(aq) + OH-(aq)
Similarly, when potassium hydroxide (KOH) dissolves in water, it undergoes dissociation into potassium ions (K+) and hydroxide ions (OH-), as represented by the equation:
KOH(aq) → K+(aq) + OH-(aq)
Overall, the dissociation of inorganic bases in water involves the release of hydroxide ions into the solution, which contributes to the basic properties and increased pH of the water.