CHAPTER 8: Acids and Alkalis
Sections Topic Duration
8.1 Acids 70 mins
8.2 Alkalis
35 mins
8.3 Neutralisation – Mixing Alkalis and Acids
8.4 Indicators 70 mins
Science Matters: Lesson Notes
2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
[Lower Secondary Science] – Acids and Alkalis
Section 8.1: Acids
70 mins
Learning Outcomes
After this lesson, your students should be able to
recognise the properties of acidic solutions
show an awareness of the applications of acids
Points to note while teaching:
Most students would recognise acids for its corrosive nature but not the other chemical properties. You may have to spend more time on acids’ reaction
with metals and carbonates.
Lesson component Content Resources required
Starters/Triggers Question
Class discussion
You may start by asking your students to think about the presence of acids in their homes to
understand their perception of acids before the lesson.
* Approximately 10 minutes given for this discussion session.
OR
Class demo (explanation covered in Science Bites; page 118)
You could start with a simple classroom demonstration. Throw a Vitamin C tablet into a cup of Vitamin C tablet
water and pose some questions to your students. Allow them to explain on their own why the A cup of water
reaction takes place. Here are some suggested questions:
Why doesn’t a Vitamin C tablet dissolve normally (like sugar) when we make a Vitamin C
drink?
If the water is neutral, is the tablet acidic? Does that explain the reaction?
* Approximately 5-10 minutes given for this classroom demonstration.
Science Matters: Lesson Notes
2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 2 of 7
[Lower Secondary Science] – Acids and Alkalis
Concept Powerpoint presentation, textbook and questions from the workbook.
Development
Powerpoint slides
1. Highlight to students that acids are not only found in the laboratory but in nature too. Acids are
necessary to have around such as in medicine and industrial products. Textbook, Workbook,
Practical book
2. Students should be able to recall that acids turn blue litmus red.
3. It is important to remind students that the properties given on pages 117–118 can be used to
test for the presence of acids.
4. Students should be able to write their own word equations to represent the reaction that will
take place when given an acid and/or a carbonate.
Other initiatives National Education/Related Websites
Internet
For further practice for your students on word equations for acid reacting with metals and
carbonates, you may visit this link and click on worksheets for Acids and Alkalis
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/teachers/worksheets/#Science
Review Questions Allow students to attempt the questions on their own. Textbook
Explain the challenging questions in this section.
Science Matters: Lesson Notes
2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 3 of 7
[Lower Secondary Science] – Acids and Alkalis
Section 8.2: Alkalis
Section 8.3: Neutralisation – Mixing Alkalis and Acids 35 mins
Learning Outcomes
After this lesson, your students should be able to
recognise the properties of alkaline solutions
show an awareness of the applications of alkalis
recognise that neutralisation is the reaction between an alkali and an acid to produce salt and water
show an awareness of applications of neutralisation in everyday life
Points to note while teaching:
There may be a misconception among students that alkalis are less corrosive and dangerous than acids. Alkalis are just as corrosive as acids even
though they do not react with metals and carbonates. Alkalis also have more uses apart from neutralising acids.
Students may also associate the term ‘neutral’ with pure water; therefore ‘neutralisation’ would produce pure water. Remind students that neutralisation
produces a chemical salt AND water, not pure water.
Lesson component Content Resources required
Starters/Triggers Question
You may start by asking your students to think about the cleaning agents at home. These liquids
can remove tough stains and can even dry our hands if we come into contact with them. So are
they acidic?
* Approximately 10 minutes given for this discussion session.
OR
Video (found in Surf IT, page 122) Laptop/Internet
Allow your students to preview this video and allow them to witness an exciting chemical reaction Video projector
when mentos is added to coke and diet coke.
Science Matters: Lesson Notes
2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 4 of 7
[Lower Secondary Science] – Acids and Alkalis
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1450915772177922792
Concept Powerpoint presentation, textbook and questions from the workbook.
Development
Powerpoint slides
1. Students should be able to recall the general properties of alkalis as listed on page 120.
Internet
2. It is important to remind students that the properties given on page 120 can be used to test for
Textbook, Workbook,
the presence of alkalis. Practical book
3. Students should know the word equations that represent the neutralisation reaction. Inquiry Worksheets
– Acids and Alkalis in
4. Everyday applications of neutralisation should also be made clear to students. Daily Life
– Acid Rain
(Individual Project)
Other initiatives National Education/Related Websites
Internet
Interactive applet on neutralization. Students get to experiment on their own to see how they
should neutralize an acid or alkali according to their pH.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/science/acids/neutralisation.htm
Review Questions Allow students to attempt the questions on their own. Textbook
Explain the challenging questions in this section.
Science Matters: Lesson Notes
2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 5 of 7
[Lower Secondary Science] – Acids and Alkalis
Section 8.4: Indicators 70 mins
Learning Outcomes
After this lesson, your students should be able to
show an understanding that indicators are substances that change colour when an acid or alkali is added to them
recognise the pH scale
Points to note while teaching:
It is important to inform your students that universal indicators are important in our daily lives not just in the laboratory.
Lesson component Content Resources required
Starters/Triggers Class Activity
You could start by asking your students to group a number of items into three groups; acid, neutral Common acids
or alkali. Once they have done so, get them to guess which of the three items are most acidic and
which is the least. Continue this for the alkalis. Coke, orange juice, milk
Common alkalis
The aim of this activity is to make your students aware that substances can be further classified
Soap, ammonia, toothpaste
according to how acidic or alkaline it is.
* Approximately 5-10 minutes given for this starter activity.
Science Matters: Lesson Notes
2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 6 of 7
[Lower Secondary Science] – Acids and Alkalis
Concept Powerpoint presentation, textbook and questions from the workbook.
Development
Powerpoint slides
1. Students need to know the pH scale and be able to name some of items within the range.
Textbook, Workbook,
2. Students should also be able to recall the different colours that methyl orange and Practical book
phenolphthalein will produce across the different pH scale. Inquiry Worksheets
– Natural Indicators
3. Students must also be able to explain the change in colour in the universal indicator. – Practice Questions
4. Matching acids and alkalis appropriately for neutralisation is also important.
Other initiatives National Education/Related Websites Internet
Quick quiz on Acids/Alkalis:
http://www.sciencepages.co.uk/keystage3/year7/module5/m5quiz.php
Review Questions Allow students to attempt the questions on their own. Textbook
Explain the challenging questions in this section.
Science Matters: Lesson Notes
2008 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Page 7 of 7
