amphoteric
Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- adjective Having the characteristics of an acid and a base and capable of reacting chemically either as an acid or a base.
Examples
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There are four types of detergents: anionic, nonionic, cationic, and amphoteric.
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Other words for stabilizer are: amphoteric, neutral or intermediate oxide.
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Baking soda is an amphoteric, which basically means that it's a neutralizer because it reacts with both acids and bases.
Note
The word 'amphoteric' comes from a Greek word meaning 'both'.