Video Transcript
Which of the following safety symbols might you see on a container of sodium hydroxide?
Sodium hydroxide is an ionic compound composed of positively charged sodium ions and negatively charged hydroxide ions. And the combination of these ions combines to form the ionic compound NaOH, or sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide is a hygroscopic salt, meaning it tends to attract and hold water. And its basic and corrosive properties make it useful in a number of industrial processes. It is also found in a number of common household items. For example, it’s used to make many kinds of soaps. And its caustic properties make it very useful as a drain cleaner.
Due to its common use in everyday household products, it is important for chemists and students of chemistry to have a thorough understanding of the meaning of common safety symbols. In answer choice (A), we see the symbol representing that a chemical is flammable. And it can readily be identified by the outline of a fire within the red diamond. Answer choice (B) is the symbol for an explosion hazard. Answer choice (C) is observed on a chemical that may be an environmental hazard. Chemicals with this symbol are likely to be harmful to plants and animals. Answer choice (D) represents that a chemical is corrosive. And answer choice (E) represents a chemical that is oxidizing.
As we have already discussed, the corrosive properties of sodium hydroxide are the reason that it’s used in household cleaning products such as drain cleaners. Therefore, we can correctly choose answer choice (D).
