Because it can be used to make illegal drugs, lye may be hard to find in a store. lye. It will most likely take at least one … The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. When in proximity to a lye that is dissolving in an open container of water, the use of a vapor-resistant face mask is recommended. Lye creates a strong alkaline solution when it is dissolved in water. Formula: H2O … It is supplied in various forms such as flakes, pellets, microbeads, coarse powder or a solution. In the quite parts of the world Lye is still often made from wood ash when used for cooking or olive production. n. ‘Sodium hydroxide, NaOH, also known as lye and caustic soda, is one of … Lye has traditionally been used as a major ingredient in soap making. LYE Meaning: "lye, water impregnated with alkaline salt absorbed from the ashes of wood by leaching," from… See definitions of lye. It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations Na and hydroxide anions OH . "Lye" most commonly refers to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), but historically has been used for potassium hydroxide (KOH). Lye in the form of both sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide is used in making soap. This method is much quicker than cold process, as it doesn't take several weeks to complete. Adding lye to water too quickly can cause the solution to boil. Both the potassium and sodium forms are able to dissolve copper. Lye is a chemical used for making soap, performing chemistry demonstrations, making biodiesel, curing food, unclogging drains, disinfecting floors and toilets, and synthesizing drugs. The majority of safety concerns with lye are also common with most corrosives, such as their potentially destructive effects on living tissues; examples are the skin, flesh, and the cornea. A strongly alkaline solution, especially of potassium hydroxide, used for washing or cleansing. The English word "lye" has cognates in all Germanic languages, and originally designated a bath or hot spring.[1]. See more. Commercially available caustic soda or sodium hydroxide is generally sodium hydroxide monohydrate, NaOHH2O. A strong water discount is typically referred to as a 40% lye solution. It absorbs water easily and forms aqueous solutions. Similar to the case of other corrosives, the containers should be labeled to indicate the potential danger of the contents and stored away from children, pets, heat, and moisture. Example: The water:lye ratio is 1.5, meaning 1.5 parts water to 1 part lye. Making soap nowadays is much easier and much more precise. Solutions containing lyes can cause chemical burns, permanent injuries, scarring and blindness, immediately upon contact. Italian serial killer Leonarda Cianciulli used this chemical to turn dead bodies into soap. Lye is a liquid obtained by leaching ashes or a strong alkali which is highly soluble in water producing caustic basic solutions. [7] Due to its low cost and high availability, it has also been used to dispose of corpses by criminals. marijuana, pot, ganja. "Hot process" soap making also uses lye as the main ingredient. The reaction between sodium hydroxide and a few metals is also hazardous. See more. [9][10] Sodium hydroxide is frequently used in the process of decomposing roadkill dumped in landfills by animal disposal contractors. Often referred to as alkaline hydrolysis, the process involves placing the carcass or body into a sealed chamber, adding a mixture of lye and water and the application of heat to accelerate the process. Today, lye is commercially manufactured using a membrane cell chloralkali process. [5] Lower grades of lye that are unsuitable for use in food preparation are commonly used as drain de-cloggers and oven cleaners. Meaning and Definition of lye. In the Philippines, Lye water is used in different “Kakanin” recipe or Native Filipino Desserts such as Pichi-pichi, Kutchinta at Suman sa Lihiya. Be careful sodium carbonate is caustic. Lye definition is - a strong alkaline liquor rich in potassium carbonate leached from wood ashes and used especially in making soap and for washing; broadly : a strong alkaline solution (as of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide). They are also used as a tenderizer in the crust of baked Cantonese moon cakes, in "zongzi" (glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves), in chewy southern Chinese noodles popular in Hong Kong and southern China, and in Japanese ramen noodles. All real soaps are made from lye. You can easily buy lye in beads or flakes. Lye is simply sodium hydroxide, a chemical compound that is very basic (in the chemical sense because it's an alkalai), and its ability to dissolve natural matter with ease is the most terrifying thing about it. It is also known as sodium hydroxide or caustic soda. lye meaning. Potassium hydroxide soaps are softer and more easily dissolved in water than sodium hydroxide soaps. Lye is commonly used for washing and making soap. Categories: Chemistry What does lye mean in English? Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. [5][page needed]. Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaOH. 1 a clear colourless tasteless odourless liquid that is essential for plant and animal life and constitutes, in impure form, rain, oceans, rivers, lakes, etc. Accordingly, lyes are stored in air-tight plastic containers. Since hydrogen is flammable, mixing a large quantity of a lye such as sodium hydroxide with aluminium in a closed container is dangerous—especially when the system is at a high temperature, which speeds up the reaction. (lī) A strong alkaline solution of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, made by allowing water to wash through wood ashes. Lye in water can be hazardous and so, safety hazards must be followed during their use. If lye gets into the eyes, immediately remove any contacts you might be wearing and rinse with cold running water … Key Points to Consider: Caustic Soda. We hope this will help you in learning languages. Lye - with the meaning of sodium hydroxide. In addition to aluminium, lyes may also react with magnesium, zinc, tin, chromium, brass or bronze—producing hydrogen gas. Convert Baking Soda into Washing Soda (sodium carbonate) by heating in oven @ 400F. [3] In Assam, north east India, extensive use is made of a type of lye called khar in Assamese and karwi in Boro which is obtained by filtering the ashes of various banana stems, roots and skin in their cooking and also for curing, as medicine and as a substitute for soap. There are many uses for this chemical. 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