Acids and Bases

Acids & Bases are two classes of chemicals that are widely used in industry and
frequently encountered in daily living. The following are some of the examples:

– Lemon juice and orange juice contain citric acid

– Car batteries contain sulphuric acid

– Ammonia (a soluble base – thus known as an alkali) is used for making fertilizers and
explosives

– Sodium Hydroxide (another soluble base – thus an alkali) is used for making soap

– Bases are generally used in a range of household cleansers including washing

powders, oven and drain cleaners.

The Characteristic Properties of Acids And Bases

There are two kinds of acids:
Organic Acid that is found in natural products such as plants and animals. They are
sour to taste. These acids are relatively harmless. For example, they are not corrosive
etc. Example of some common organic acids.
Inorganic Acids, Mineral Acids 
these acids are corrosive, they have a sour taste and turn blue litmus red. 

ACID is any substance that releases hydrogen ions, H+, in aqueous solution.
Determining whether an acid is strong or not is the extent to which it ionizes in a
solution. For example, HCl ionizes completely in a solution. Organic Acid such as
ethanoic acid and like wise are weak acids as they partially ionize in solution. A
reversible equation sign is used for acids to show that the ionization is weak and is
reversible. 
Chemical Properties Of Acids

Reaction With Metals

Acids on reaction with many but not all metals release hydrogen gas.

 
Reaction With Bases
Acids react with bases to form salt and water.

Basicity Of An Acid
All acids release hydrogen ions in solution but not necessarily in the same number per
molecule. 

Inorganic Acids

HCl is a monobasic acid as it only releases one hydrogen ion per molecule.
A monobasic acid is an acid that has only one hydrogen ion to donate to a base in
an acid-base reaction. Therefore, a monobasic molecule has only one replaceable
hydrogen atom.
Sulfuric Acid is a dibasic acid as it releases two Hydrogen ion per molecule. 

Phosphorous acid is tribasic as it releases three hydrogen ions per molecule. 

Organic Acid

With the basicity of an acid it must be noted that not all hydrogen atoms would
turn into hydrogen ions in a molecule. 

Ethanoic acid is monobasic Acid as it releases one Hydrogen ion per molecule. 

Ethane dioic Acid is a dibasic acid as it releases two Hydrogen ion per molecule. 

Reaction of acid with base:

The reaction looks as such

Acid + base à salt + water
This reaction is a neutralization reaction since the product at the end is neutral. the H+
and OH- ion from Acid and basic react to form water.

Dilute hydrochloric Acid reacts with sodium hydroxide, 

A base is a substance that contains hydroxide OH- + or oxide ions O2-

Bases And Alkalis:
Bases are either metal oxides or metal hydroxides. Most metal Oxides are
insoluble in water but the oxides of Group I and II metals react with water to form
solutions of hydroxides. 
Group I metal hydroxides and a few Group II metal hydroxides are soluble in water and
are called alkalis.
Copper II Hydroxide and Aluminum Hydroxide are insoluble in water.
An alkali is a base which is soluble in water. Group I and II and ammonia solutions are
alkalis. 

They all release OH- ions and the degree to which they do so determine whether the
alkali is strong or weak.
Group I alkalis are strong, they ionize completely. 

Group II and aqueous ammonia are weak alkalis. 

The pH Scale
The pH Scale is a set of numbers from 0 to 14 which is used to indicate whether an
aqueous solution is acidic, neutral or alkaline.

All aqueous solutions contain hydrogen ions, H+ and hydroxide ion, OH–. The
concentration of these ions differs in solutions of different pH values. Therefore, the pH
of a solution is related to the concentration of hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions present
in a solution.

It is important to appreciate the formal definition of “pH”. It is formally defined as

the “measure of the concentration of the hydrogen ions in a solution”.

Based on the definition above, let’s look at three different sections of the pH Scale:

A) Solution with pH equal to 7

It is NEUTRAL!

This if the pH of pure water i.e. distilled water.

The concentration of hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions is the same.

B) Solution with pH less than 7

It is ACIDIC!

Acids have concentration of hydrogen ions more than the concentration of hydroxide
ions.

The lower the pH value, the greater the concentration of hydrogen ions and the lower
the concentration of hydroxide ions, which means the more acidic the solution.

C) Solution with pH greater than 7

It is ALKALINE!

The higher the pH value, the greater the concentration of hydroxide ions and the lower
the concentration of hydrogen ions, which means the more alkaline the solution.
Alkalis have more uses in our everyday lives as well as industrial application. As such,
we will look into its Physical & Chemical Properties.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ALKALIS:

1. Alkalis have a BITTER taste & have a SOAPY touch

2. Alkalis turn RED litmus paper BLUE
3. Alkalis have a pH value > 7
4. Alkalis are CAUSTIC
5. Alkalis CONDUCT ELECTRICITY due to the presence of MOBILE IONS in solution

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ALKALIS:

1. Neutralization Reaction (Dilute Acid + Alkali→Salt + Water)

2. Alkali react with Ammonium Salts to produce Ammonia Gas when heated gently

Alkali + Ammonium Salt→Salt + Ammonia Gas + Water [Heat gently]

When a mixture of an alkali and ammonium salt is heated, ammonia gas is given off.

The reaction is summarized as:

OH−+NH+4→NH3+H2O

Example of such a reaction:

 NH4Cl(s)+NaOH(s)→NaCl(s)+NH3(g)+H2O(l)

 ammonium sulphate and calcium hydroxide: 

(NH4)2SO4(s)+Ca(OH2)(s)→CaSO4(s)+2NH3(g)+2H2O(l)

Chemical Properties Of Acids

Reaction With Metals

Acids on reaction with many but not all metals release hydrogen gas. 
Reaction With Metal Carbonates
Acids on reaction with metal carbonates would release carbon dioxide gas.

Reaction With Bases

Acids react with bases to form salt and water.

Prepared by : M.Zuhair Asif (Chemist)

O’Level Chemistry Notes
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