Final answer:
Ammonia (NH₃) is the weakest base among the options provided, as it has a much lower degree of ionization in water compared to the strong bases sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH), and Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid, not a base.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to identify the weakest base among the given options. The correct answer is ammonia (NH₃). In aqueous solution, ammonia is known to be a weak base. It partially dissociates and has a much lower degree of ionization compared to sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH), which are both strong bases and dissociate almost completely in solution. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is not a base at all; it is a strong acid. Therefore, among the choices given, ammonia is the weakest base, as it does not dissociate fully into its ions in water, resulting in a lower concentration of hydroxide ions compared to the strong bases listed.
Weak bases such as ammonia have many household uses, including as ingredients in window cleaners, laundry detergents, and other cleaning products. These applications exploit the ammonia's properties as a weak base.