ACIDS BASES & SALTS

The term ‘acid’ has been derived from the Latin word ‘acidus’ which means sour.
Vinegar, lemon juice grape juice spoilt milk are all sour in taste because of the presence of acids. The
acids present in plants and animals are called organic acids.
A number of acids are corrosive. The can eat their way through clothing and are dangerous on the
skin.Some acids attack stone work and even metals. These powerful acids are called mineral acids
such as hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid etc.
Base is a chemical substance which can neutralize an acid. Bases are substances that, in aqueous
solution, release hydroxide Example: NaOH, KOH, Mg(OH)2, NH4OH etc.
Bases have a bitter taste & soapy to touch.

The characteristic properties of acids and bases

(i) Acids turn blue litmus red.

(ii)Acids have are pH 6 and below

A pH scale is a tool for measuring acids and bases

(iii) Acid + metal → metal salt + hydrogen

Eg. 2HCl(aq) + 2Na(s) → 2NaCl(aq) + H2(g)

(iv) Acid + base (except carbonates) → salt + water

Eg : HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O

(v) Acid + metal carbonate → metal salt + carbon dioxide + water

Eg: 2HCl + Na2CO3 → 2NaCl + CO2 + H2O

(i) Bases turn red litmus blue.

(ii) Bases have are pH 8 to 14.
(iii) Acid + base → salt + water + (carbon dioxide when the base is a metal carbonate)
Eg: HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O

(iv) All alkalis (except ammonia) will react with ammonium compounds, removing ammonia
for example: calcium hydroxide + ammonium chloride → calcium chloride + water + ammonia
Ca(OH)2 + 2NH4Cl → CaCl2 + 2H2O + 2NH3

Strong acids and Weak acids

Strong acids: all molecules dissociate to become ions, low pH, high conductivity, weak bonds.
For eg mineral acids are strong acids
HCl → H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
The ions are completely dissociated in a strong acids

Weak acids: only some molecules do, higher pH, low conductivity, strong bonds (weaker
effervescence when reacting with carbonates or metal than a strong acid, this property can be used in
experimental demonstrations)
Organic acids are weak acids.
Weak acids are partially dissociated in aqueous solutions.
Eg: Ethanoic acid is a weak acid and dissociates as shown
CH3COOH (aq) H+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)
Definition of acids and bases – Protonic Concept
Acids are defined as proton donors (H+) and base as proton acceptors.
Comparison of hydrogen ion concentration
A pH scale is a tool for measuring acids and bases. The scale ranges from 0-14: The colour of the
paper matches up with the numbers on the pH scale to indicate what kind of substance is being tested.
For example, Vinegar is an acid and measures 2.4 on the pH scale.
An increase in the pH value of a solution by one will be accompanied by a tenfold increase in the
hydrogen ion concentration and therefore, a tenfold increase in acidity. Elaborating with the help of an
example, a solution with a pH of 3 will have ten times the acidity of a solution with a pH of 4 and a
hundred times the acidity of a solution with a pH of 5.
To know whether a substance is acidic or basic, we can use the litmus paper test.

Litmus paper is a thin strip of paper which comes in colours of blue and red. You can dip it in
the solution you want to test. If the blue litmus paper turns red or if red litmus paper stays red
the solution must be acidic. If the red litmus paper turns blue or the blue litmus paper stays
blue, the solution must be basic.
Basically, red means acidic and blue means basic.

The pH of neutral substances is exactly 7. Pure water is neither acidic nor basic; it is a
neutral substance. As a result, pure water has a pH of 7. A sugar solution and a chloride
solution are both neutral, with a pH of 7. As a result, any solution with a pH of 7 is
considered neutral.

We may, however, use a specific form of the indicator called a ‘universal indicator,’ which works by
detecting the pH of a solution, to determine the strength of an acid or basic solution.
A universal indicator is a common method of measuring the pH of a solution in a school laboratory. A
universal indicator is a mixture of several different indicators or dyes that produce varied colours at
various pH levels across the pH scale.
We can also remark that the universal indicator shows different colours at different concentrations of
hydrogen ions in the solution since the pH of a solution is dependent on the hydrogen ion
concentration. The universal indicator takes on a new colour when an acid or
basic solution is put to it. By comparing the colour of the universal indicator to the colours on the pH
colour chart, the pH value of the acid or base solution can be determined. We can tell whether a
solution is a strong acid, weak acid, stronger base, or weak base by looking at the pH value.

Neutralisation reaction
Neutralization reactions are the reaction between acid and base. The products formed are water and
salt. It is called so because the acid and base neutralize each other to form water and salt. The H+ and
OH- react to form H2O.

Acid + Base → Salt + Water

For example,

HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O

H2SO4 + NaOH →Na (SO4)2 + H2O

H+(aq) + OH-(aq) → H2O(l)

Action of acids & bases on
(i) Litmus - If the blue litmus paper turns red or if red litmus paper stays red the solution
must be acidic. If the red litmus paper turns blue or the blue litmus paper stays blue,
the solution must be basic.
(ii) Thymolphthalein- thymolphthalein is an acid-base indicator that changes color from
colorless to blue. Below a pH of 9.3-10.5, it is colorless. Above this range, it is blue.
(iii) Methyl orange- Methyl orange is a pH indicator frequently used in titration because of
its clear and distinct color variance at different pH values. Methyl orange shows red color
in acidic medium and yellow color in basic medium. Because it changes color at the pK a
of a mid strength acid, it is usually used in titration for acids.
Classification of oxides
Depending upon nature and the properties exhibited by compounds, they are classified into
• Acidic oxides
• Basic oxides
• Amphoteric oxides
• Neutral oxides

Acidic oxide: If an oxide reacts with water and forms an acid is called acidic oxide. Thus, acidic
oxide on reacting with water gives base. It means if we prepare a solution of acidic oxide and water
and dip a blue litmus paper in it then it turns red. Mostly acidic oxides are oxides of non – metals but
some oxides of metals with high oxidation states also possess acidic character. Thus, few metallic
oxides such as CrO3, Mn2O7 etc. are also acidic oxides.
Examples of acidic oxides – SO2, CO2, SO3 etc.
When sulfur trioxide reacts with water, it forms sulfuric acid. Reaction is given below –
SO3 + H2O → H2SO4

Basic Oxide – If an oxide reacts with water and forms a base is called basic oxide. Thus, basic oxide
on reacting with water gives base. It means if we prepare a solution of basic oxide and water and dip a
red litmus paper in it then it turns blue. Generally metals form basic oxides.
Examples of basic oxides – MgO, CaO, BaO etc.
Amphoteric Oxide – An amphoteric oxide is that metallic oxide which shows dual behavior. It
behaves as an acidic oxide and basic oxide both. It also reacts with both bases as well as acids.
Examples of Amphoteric oxides – Zinc oxide (ZnO)
When zinc oxide reacts with conc. Sodium hydroxide acts as acidic oxide while when it reacts with
HCl it acts as basic oxide. Reactions are given below –
ZnO + 2H2O + 2NaOH → Na3ZnOH4 + H2
Acidic zinc oxide
ZnO + 2HCl → ZnCl2 + H2O
Basic zinc oxide
Another example of amphoteric oxide is Al2O3 – aluminium oxide. When it reacts with sulfuric acid it
acts as a base while when it reacts with sodium hydroxide it acts as acid. Reactions are given below –
Al2O3 + 3H2SO4 → Al2(SO4)3 + 3H2O
Basic
Al2O3 + 2NaOH → 2NaAlO2 + H2O
Acidic Sodium aluminate
Neutral Oxide – Neutral oxides are those oxides which neither show acidic properties nor basic
properties. They do not form any salt when they react with acid or base.
Examples of neutral oxides – N2O, NO, CO etc.
Preparation of salts

Hydrated and anhydrous crystals

Hydrated salts have water within their crystals when the crystals are formed from water; an anhydrous
salt is where the crystal has had the water driven out. CuSO4.5H2O is a hydrated copper sulphate
crystal and CuSO4 is anhydrous copper sulphate crystal.
Hydrated salt

A hydrated salt is a salt which has a number of water molecules associated with the ions within its
crystalline structure. These water molecules may be referred to as the waters of crystallization or
water of hydration.
Examples are Na2SO4.10H2O, Na2CO3.10H2O

Water of cystallization

The water of crystallization is water that occurs in crystals. Water is often necessary for the formation
of crystals.
Example in copper(II) sulfate: [Cu(H2O)4]SO4. H2O
Cobalt(II) chloride hexahydrate : CoCl2. 6H2O
Preparation of salts
A salt is a compound that is formed when the hydrogen atom in an acid is replaced by a metal

1. Soluble salts can be prepared from their parent acid by following two methods:

Method A : adding acid to a solid metal, base or carbonate

 Method:

• Add dilute acid into a beaker and heat using a bunsen burner flame
• Add the insoluble metal, base or carbonate, a little at a time, to the warm dilute acid and stir
until the base is in excess (i.e. until the base stops disappearing and a suspension of the base
forms in the acid)
• Filter the mixture into an evaporating basin to remove the excess base
• Heat the solution to evaporate water and to make the solution saturated. Check the solution is
saturated by dipping a cold, glass rod into the solution and seeing if crystals form on the end
• Leave the filtrate in a warm place to dry and crystallize
• Decant excess solution and allow crystals to dry.

Method B: reacting a dilute acid and alkali

 Method:

• Use a pipette to measure the alkali into a conical flask and add a few drops of indicator
(phenolphthalein or methyl orange)
• Add the acid into the burette and note the starting volume
• Add the acid very slowly from the burette to the conical flask until the indicator changes to
appropriate colour
• Note and record the final volume of acid in burette and calculate the volume of acid added
(starting volume of acid – final volume of acid)
• Add this same volume of acid into the same volume of alkali without the indicator
• Heat to partially evaporate, leaving a saturated solution
• Leave to crystallise decant excess solution and allow crystals to dry

Preparation of insoluble salts

1. By precipitation
• Insoluble salts can be prepared using a precipitation reaction
• The solid salt obtained is the precipitate, thus in order to successfully use this method the
solid salt being formed must be insoluble in water

Using two soluble reactants

1.
 Method:

• Dissolve soluble salts in water and mix together using a stirring rod in a beaker
• Filter to remove precipitate from mixture
• Wash filtrate with water to remove traces of other solutions
• Leave in an oven to dry

Preparation of Pure, Dry Lead (II) Sulfate Crystals using a precipitation reaction

Soluble Salt 1 = Lead (II) Nitrate

Soluble Salt 2 = Potassium Sulfate

Method:

• Dissolve Lead (II) Nitrate and Potassium Sulfate in water and mix together using a stirring
rod in a beaker
• Filter to remove precipitate from mixture
• Wash precipitate with water to remove traces of potassium nitrate solution
• Leave in an oven to dry

Equation of reaction:

Lead (II) Nitrate + Potassium Sulfate → Lead (II) Sulfate + Potassium Nitrate

Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + K2SO4 (aq) → PbSO4 (s) + 2KNO3 (aq)

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