CHEMISTRY GUIDE

This page looks briefly at how the chemistry of the "hydroxides" of the Period 3 elements from sodium to chlorine varies as you cross the period. I am taking the word "hydroxide" to include anything which contains either a hydroxide ion or an -OH group covalently bound to the element in question. You wouldn't usually think of some of the compounds on this page as hydroxides at all. A quick summary of the trends Sodium and magnesium hydroxides These contain hydroxide ions, and are simple basic hydroxides. Aluminium hydroxide Aluminium hydroxide, like aluminium oxide, is amphoteric - it has both basic and acidic properties. Note:   I have no real idea of how to describe aluminium hydroxide on the ionic-covalent spectrum. Part of the problem is that there are several forms of aluminium hydroxide. For example, when it is prepared by adding ammonia solution to a solution containing hexaaquaalum...