Question: hi how did scientists find out what acids and alkali are? like why did they name them that and how they found them out for the first time.

Alkali is said to come from the Arabic al-qaliy, meaning “the ashes”. A common source of alkalis for soap making and dyeing came from plant ashes rich in sodium compounds. Perhaps we should count ourselves lucky it came from that route, the other common source was urine. You’ll find a fair number of al- words in science. A legacy of the Islamic Golden Age and the works of the the philosophers and translators of that time. The origin of name of my own profession is disputed, but one suggestion is it chemistry comes from alchemy and this from al-khemia, the black earth of Egypt.