Why do basic substances always feel slippery?
In: Chemistry
*Always?* Chalk, for example, is made of calcium carbonate, a weak base, and yet in a powdered form it is sometimes applied to the hands by e.g. gym-goers to *improve* their grip, not weaken it.
*Some* bases do feel slippery if touched with bare skin (which you absolutely should *not*). This is because they instantly trigger [base-catalyzed ester hydrolysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponification) of the lipids on your skin. Basically, they turn the natural oils on your skin into soap. And it’s that thin layer of soap that feels slippery, not the base itself.
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