NaOH

Science & Engineering abbreviation · Chemistry

NaOH
Stands forSodium hydroxide
CategoriesScience & Engineering

NaOH stands for Sodium hydroxide, a chemistry abbreviation.

Strong base, also called lye or caustic soda, sold as white pellets or flakes and as concentrated solution. It is used to make soap, paper pulp and alumina from bauxite, in drain openers and oven cleaners, to cure olives and give pretzels their crust, and to neutralize acids in water treatment.

Example: Titrate the vinegar sample with 0.1 M NaOH using phenolphthalein as the indicator.

Usage notes

Dissolving NaOH in water releases a lot of heat. Its solutions cause deep chemical burns because they saponify skin fats, and eye contact can cause blindness, so splash goggles are essential. Industrially it is co-produced with chlorine by electrolysis of brine in the chlor-alkali process.

More chemistry abbreviations

  • MSDS – Material safety data sheet
  • MSG – Monosodium glutamate
  • MTBE – Methyl tert-butyl ether
  • MW – Molecular weight
  • N2O – Nitrous oxide
  • NaCl – Sodium chloride
  • NH3 – Ammonia
  • NMR – Nuclear magnetic resonance
  • NTP – Normal temperature and pressure
  • O3 – Ozone
  • PAH – Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
  • PC – Polycarbonate

See all 106 chemistry abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.