Lye (NaOH) is a strong base used to encourage browning on pretzels and bagels. During preparation, lye powder is dissolved in water to make a basic solution: shaped pretzel or bagel dough is briefly submerged in this solution before being baked in the oven. What happens when lye dissolves in water to make the solution basic?
Lye dissolves, releasing H+ ions that increase the pH of the solution.
Lye dissolves into Na+ and OH- ions: Na+ ions increase the pH of the solution.
Lye dissolves into Na+ and OH- ions: some OH- ions bind H+ ions to form water, increasing the pH of the solution.