9.

1 Common acids and alkalis

Acids Alkalis
Found in - Food Household products: soaps, glass
- Personal care products (e.g. body lotions, hair cleaners, kitchen cleaners, baking soda,
conditioners) toothpaste, batteries
- Household cleaners (e.g. toilet cleaners)
- Drugs (e.g. aspirin)
Used in - Hydrochloric acid - Sodium hydroxide
lab - Sulphuric acid - Ammonia solution
- Nitric acid - Calcium hydroxide (limewater)
Properties - Sour taste: NEVER taste any acid used in the - Bitter taste: NEVER taste any in
laboratory the lab
- Acidic solutions can conduct electricity - Slippery feel
- React with alkalis - Can conduct electricity
- React with many materials including metals - React with acids
Common As preservatives Removing grease: as cleaning agents
uses Microorganisms cannot grow or reproduce in acidic Ammonia in kitchen and glass
conditions, hence acid can prevent food from going bad cleaners
Removing stains Sodium hydroxide in drain cleaners
As cleaning agents (toilet cleaners) Making industrial chemicals
Making industrial chemicals e.g. potassium hydroxide in batteries
Sulphuric acid is used in making fertilizers, dyes and
paints

Safety precautions
DOs DON’Ts
1. Read the hazard warning labels on the reagent bottles 1. NEVER taste any acids or
2. Wear safety goggles alkalis
3. Wear protective gloves 2. Do not mix acids or alkalis with
4. Pour the acidic or alkaline wastes into appropriate waste bottles other chemicals without
5. Wash your hands thoroughly after the experiments teacher’s permission

If accidents happen
1. Wash the affected area under slow running water for at least 10 minutes
a. If gets into the eye, wash with the eye wash bottle immediately for at least 10 minutes
2. Carefully remove any contaminated clothing and avoid making contact with the chemical
3. For more serious injuries, call an ambulance
a. Keep washing until ambulance arrives
b. Take a sample of the acid or alkali to the hospital
緊急三部曲：沖洗 10 分鐘，除衫，call 白車

9.2 Acid-alkali indicators and pH scale

pH indicators are used to show the presence of acids and alkalis

- Natural indicator: extracted from plants in Nature, contain pigments which change color in the presence of an
acid or an alkali
Plant Acidic solution Alkaline solution
Red cabbage Pink Green
Red rose flower Red Brown
Blueberry Red Black
Strawberry Orange Brown
Beetroot Yellow Brown black
- Litmus: extracted from lichen, available in solution and paper forms 紅酸藍鹼
o Blue litmus: for testing acidic solutions, turns red
o Red litmus: for testing alkaline solutions, turns blue
o Neutral solution will not change the color of the litmus

Universal indicator and pH scale can show HOW acidic or alkaline a substance is
- Universal indicator is a mixture of several indicators and shows a range of different colours depending on the
degrees of acidity or alkalinity of the substance
 o Available in solution and paper forms (pH paper)
o pH colour chart: each colour corresponds to a pH value, expressed from 0 to 14 (a.k.a. pH scale)
 Acidic < 7, the lower the value, the more acidic the substance
 Alkaline > 7, the higher the value, the more alkaline the substance
 Neutral = 7

pH meter gives an accurate measurement of pH value

- Consists of a probe connected to a digital display
o Put the probe into a solution and the pH value will be displayed on the screen
- Reading is accurate to two decimal places
- pH sensor connected with a data-logger can also be used for measurement
o The readings can be recorded and analysed in a computer
o The data-logger system can help monitor the pH change during an experiment

Advantages and disadvantages of pH meter (vs. universal indicator and pH paper)

Advantage Disadvantage
- Can measure the pH value more accurately - More expensive
- Can be reused - Size is larger, less
- Can be used to measure the pH value of liquids with deep colour convenient to carry around

9.3 Neutralization
- A chemical reaction where acids and alkalis react with each other when they are mixed together
o Changes the acidity or alkalinity of a solution
- Reactants: substances that take part in a chemical reaction
- Products: the substances formed
- In neutralization: acid + alkali  water + salt (+ heat)
o Hydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide  sodium chloride + water
 Sodium chloride, a.k.a. table salt
o Nitric acid + potassium hydroxide  potassium nitrate + water
 Potassium nitrate: make fertilizers
o Sulphuric acid + calcium hydroxide  calcium sulphate + water
 Calcium sulphate: make tofu
- Total mass of reactants and products is always conserved

Daily life application of neutralization

1. Toothpaste: slightly alkaline, neutralize acids in the mouth converted from sugar
2. Chewing sugar-free gum: stimulate saliva production  saliva is slightly alkaline and can neutralize acids in
the mouth
3. Antacids: can neutralize the excess hydrochloric acid (produced by stomach to digest food)
4. Treatment of insect stings and bites: acidic or alkaline
5. Neutralize industrial acidic/alkaline wastes to reduce water pollution
6. Neutralize soil for better growth of plants
a. Slaked lime/calcium hydroxide for acidic soil
b. Sulphur for alkaline soil: converted into sulphuric acid by natural soil bacteria

9.4 Corrosive nature of acids

Acids and metals
Acid + metal  salt + hydrogen
- Metal decreases slightly in size  acid corrodes the metal
- Hydrogen is a colourless gas, tested by burning splint
- Examples
o Hydrochloric acid + magnesium  magnesium chloride + hydrogen
o Sulphuric acid + aluminium  aluminium sulphate + hydrogen

Acids and calcium carbonate

Acid + calcium carbonate  salt + carbon dioxide + water
 - Calcium carbonate is commonly found in building materials such as marble and limestone, and also pearls,
seashells and eggshells
- Carbon dioxide turns limewater milky

Acid rain
Rainwater that is more acidic than pH 5.6
- Main cause: burning of fossil fuels
 release acidic air pollutants e.g. sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides  dissolve in water droplets 
produce sulphuric acid and nitric acid  join and form clouds  fall as acid rain
- Effects: acidic gases may be spread by wind over long distances
o Corroding metal objects and building materials
e.g. iron fences, bridges, motor car bodies, statues made of metals or marble
o Damaging plants
 Destroy the leaves  cannot carry out photosynthesis  plants die
 Dissolves and washes away the nutrients in the soil  plants grow slowly or die
 Increases acidity of the soil
o Causing harm aquatic life
 Increases acidity of lakes and rivers  aquatic life cannot survive
 Dissolves minerals in the soil  washes them out of soil and into rivers and lakes  some
minerals are harmful and slow down the growth and reproduction of aquatic life

9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Strong acid Weak acid Strong alkali Weak alkali

- Hydrochloric acid - Citric acid - Sodium hydroxide - Ammonia solution
- Sulphuric acid - Ethanoic acid - Potassium
- Nitric acid - Carbonic acid hydroxide
- Strong acids/alkalis are more corrosive than weak acids/alkalis
- Concentrated form is even more corrosive  can cause severe damage to skin and flesh

Proper handling of household cleaners

- Read the precautions on the containers
- Use in well-ventilated areas  can irritate or corrode respiratory tract, skin and eyes
- DO NOT mix different cleaners  produce toxic vapours or cause explosions
- Concentrated cleaners should be diluted before use

DOs and DON’Ts when diluting acids/alkalis

DOs
- Dilute in a well-ventilated area
- Wear safety goggles and protective gloves
- Add conc. acid/alkali slowly to a large amount of water
- Stir continuously and slowly
DON’Ts
- NEVER add water to conc. acids/alkalis
- NEVER dilute with bare hands
- NEVER inhale acidic or alkaline vapour