Trump base is pretty corrosive...
this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2024
10 points (64.7% liked)
Ask Science
8766 readers
44 users here now
Ask a science question, get a science answer.
Community Rules
Rule 1: Be respectful and inclusive.
Treat others with respect, and maintain a positive atmosphere.
Rule 2: No harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or trolling.
Avoid any form of harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or offensive behavior.
Rule 3: Engage in constructive discussions.
Contribute to meaningful and constructive discussions that enhance scientific understanding.
Rule 4: No AI-generated answers.
Strictly prohibit the use of AI-generated answers. Providing answers generated by AI systems is not allowed and may result in a ban.
Rule 5: Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.
Adhere to community guidelines and comply with instructions given by moderators.
Rule 6: Use appropriate language and tone.
Communicate using suitable language and maintain a professional and respectful tone.
Rule 7: Report violations.
Report any violations of the community rules to the moderators for appropriate action.
Rule 8: Foster a continuous learning environment.
Encourage a continuous learning environment where members can share knowledge and engage in scientific discussions.
Rule 9: Source required for answers.
Provide credible sources for answers. Failure to include a source may result in the removal of the answer to ensure information reliability.
By adhering to these rules, we create a welcoming and informative environment where science-related questions receive accurate and credible answers. Thank you for your cooperation in making the Ask Science community a valuable resource for scientific knowledge.
We retain the discretion to modify the rules as we deem necessary.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Why would that be your first choice when stuff like hydrofluoric acid exists?
HF isn't that "strong" of an acid. It's very dangerous due to it being a pretty bad contact poison.
The post literally says dangerous though. And there are way "stronger" acids than sulfuric acid too so the post still doesn't make sense
Oh, I wasn't disagreeing with you. The 2 times I've used HF was enough for me. While sulfuric is definitely not the strongest, many lists ranking the "strength of acids" have it on top. I assume that's where OP got that idea.
Someone else posted Fluoroantimonic acid, which seems like the one (at least for Hammett acidity function).
Are you sure sulphuric is the most dangerous acid?
I just remember my science teacher saying 20 years ago it was and dumped it on a wooden table and it ate right thru it.
It's like probably the most dangerous "normal" acid. There are some badass mf acids out there
What about bases?
A classic would be sodium hydroxide, a pretty strong and also very common base
Sodium hydroxide is used to manufacture soaps, rayon, paper, explosives, dyestuffs, and petroleum products. It is also used in processing cotton fabric, laundering and bleaching, metal cleaning and processing, oxide coating, electroplating, and electrolytic extracting. It is commonly present in commercial drain and oven cleaners.
For those, like me, that are not knowledgeable about this type of thing.
Interesting stuff
I started buying it to make soap, but it's wonderful to have around the house. For example, it's powerful at cleaning organic gunk of my projects. I take the leftovers and pour them in my AC unit to kill mold. (Bleach is what's recommended for that use.)
What's really wild is that sodium hydroxide is a solid at room temp. If you handle a pellet of it, it feels soapy. Not because it actually has a soapy texture, but because it's converting the oils on and in your skin into soap in real time. (Don't do this)
It won't hurt you if you stick your hand in a beaker of liquid. (As long as you wash it off quickly enough!) But you will locate every break in your skin and have perfectly clean nails and skin!
That's why mixing household cleaners is very dangerous, NaOH is so common but also so strong, that there are oftentimes unforeseeable reactions and products you definitely don't want
Also known as lye. Most dish washing detergents contain some amount of it, and it's also used in the making of some baked goods such as pretzels and bagels.
It gets much worse than H2SO4.