Should Chemists Always Add Acid to Water When Diluting Strong Bases?

💡 The Answer

• The rule is to add acid to water, not water to acid, but for bases the principle differs; add base to water.
• Adding water to a concentrated base can cause violent boiling or splattering due to exothermic heat release.
• Instead, slowly add the base to a larger volume of water while stirring to dissipate heat safely.
• Proper technique minimizes risk of caustic splashes and thermal shock to the container.