Alkalising

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of altering a solution's chemical composition by raising its pH to a more alkaline state is described in this term
2. This refers to the method of enhancing a material's basic properties by increasing its alkalinity through specific chemical additions
3. The process of modifying a substance's acidity by introducing alkaline agents to achieve a higher pH is indicated by this term

Etymology: "Alkalising" is the British spelling of "alkalizing," the present participle of "alkalise," which means to make something alkaline. Its history is therefore really the history of its base verb, which comes from "alkali." That word arrived in English from Medieval Latin "alkali," borrowed from Arabic "al-qaly," meaning "the ashes of the saltwort plant." Early chemists used alkalis largely because they came from burning plants, and the word's origin in plant ashes is still visible in its meaning. The verb "alkalise" adds the suffix "-ise," a common English ending for making something into a certain state, so "to alkalise" means to make a substance alkali-like. Chemists apply it mainly to solutions, which is why the term now appears in discussions of pH, where raising a solution's pH moves it toward the alkaline end of the scale.

Synonyms: alkalizing, neutralizing, balancing, buffering, adjusting