Tiscali Quicklinks. Please visit our Accessibility Page for a list of the Access Keys you can use to find your way around the site, skip directly to the main navigation, to the page content, or to more links within reference.

The hydroxides of metals are alkalis. Those of sodium and potassium are corrosive; both were historically derived from the ashes of plants.
The four main alkalis are sodium hydroxide (caustic soda, NaOH); potassium hydroxide (caustic potash, KOH); calcium hydroxide (slaked lime or limewater, Ca(OH)2); and aqueous ammonia (NH3(aq)). Their solutions all contain the hydroxide ion OH-, which gives them a characteristic set of properties.
Blue stands for peace. Red represents power and faith. Yellow stands for the church, peace, natural wealth, and love. Green symbolizes the land and hope. Effective date: 6 February 1996.
>>