Final answer:
NH₄OH, known as ammonium hydroxide, is a base that dissociates into NH₄⁺ and OH⁻ in aqueous solution, with the OH⁻ capable of accepting a proton to form water, characteristic of base behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
NH₄OH, also known as ammonium hydroxide, is a compound that can be classified as a base. According to the Arrhenius theory of acids and bases, bases are substances that produce hydroxide ions (OH⁻) when dissolved in water. Here, NH₄OH dissociates into NH₄⁺ and OH⁻ ions in aqueous solution. The OH⁻ ion can accept a proton from an acid to form water (H₂O), which is a typical behavior of a base.
The naming of the compound follows the cation first (ammonium, NH₄⁺) and then the anion (hydroxide, OH⁻), which makes its full name ammonium hydroxide. It is often found in cleaning solutions and is also used as a reagent in chemical laboratories.