Csec Chemistry Chapter 7: Acids, Bases and Salts

Objectives:

7.1

 Define acid, acid anhydride, base, alkali, salt, acidic, basic, amphoteric and neutral
oxides;
 Consideration of proton donor or acceptor and replaceable hydrogen.
 Relate to basic and acidic oxides

7.2

 Relate acidity and alkalinity to the pH scale;

 pH scale - No formal definition of pH required.
 Carry out simple exercises with litmus paper and universal indicator
 Biology - Digestion, blood, enzyme activity.

7.3

 Discuss the strength of acids and alkalis on the basis of their completeness of
ionization;
 Degree of ionization linked to strength and the pH of the solution
 Use pH meter

7.4

 Investigate the reactions of non-oxidizing acids;

 Reactions of acids with metals, carbonates, hydrogen carbonates, bases
 Practicals to demonstrate reactions of acids.
 Demonstrate reactions with antacids, baking powder, fire extinguishers.
 Biology – Use of antacids.

7.5

 List examples of acids in living systems;

 Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), methanoic acid (in ants), lactic acid (build-up in muscles).
 Neutralization of Vitamin C with sodium hydrogen carbonate.
 Formula of Vitamin C not required. The treatment of ant stings, use of vinegar in food
preservation due to low pH.
 Use of lime juice to remove rust stains.
 Plan, design and conduct an investigation to compare the vitamin C content of a named
fruit juice before and after heating
 Biology – Nutrition, respiration.

7.6

 Investigate the reaction of bases with ammonium salts;

7.7

 Identify an appropriate method of salt preparation based on the solubility of the salt;
 A general knowledge of the solubility of sulfates, nitrates, chlorides, carbonates and
bases.
 Uses of salts in everyday life.
 Prepare insoluble salts by precipitation; prepare soluble salts by direct combination and
by replacing hydrogen ions of an acid directly or indirectly by a metal or ammonium
radical.
7.8

 List the uses and dangers of salts; Refer to action of baking powder, calcium carbonate
for the manufacture of cement.
 For food preservation: sodium chloride, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, sodium
benzoate.
 For medical uses: plaster of Parris (calcium sulfate),
 Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate). Sodium nitrate is implicated in causing brain damage
in infants and also suspected to be carcinogenic.
 Use of universal indicator, pH meter reaction with carbonates

7.9

 Distinguish between acid salts and normal salts;

 Basicity of acids.

7.10

 Investigate neutralisation reactions using indicators and temperature changes; Use of

colour change of indicators and temperature changes to determine neutralisation point.
Refer to the action of toothpaste in neutralising acids in the mouth. For example,
fluoride ions replacing hydroxide ions in the enamel of the tooth. Effect of adding lime to
soil. Effect of adding lime and an ammonium fertiliser to soil at the same time.
 Carry out neutralization reactions using indications and thermometers.
 Physics – Fundamental quantities and units.

7.11

 Perform calculations using volumetric analysis data.

(a) Number of moles reacting.
(b) The mole ratio in which the reactants combine.
(c) The molar concentration and mass concentration of reactants.
 Acid-Base titrations.
Acids:

An acid is a substance containing hydrogen which can be replaced directly or indirectly by

a metal to form a salt. An acid is a proton donor

When an acid reacts, it can give ('donate') its H' ions or protons to the other reactant.

For example, when sodium carbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid, the acid donates its H'
ions, or protons, to the CO,'- ions, forming carbon dioxide and water:

 Acids which are not dissolved in water are composed of covalent molecules and can be
solid, liquid or gas at room temperature.
 All acid molecules contain hydrogen, such as hydrochloric acid, HCI, nitric acid, HNO"
and sulfuric acid, H2S04
 When added to water, the acid molecules ionize, forming positive hydrogen ions (H' ions)
and negative anions:

General Properties of Acids

The presence of H' ions in aqueous solutions of acids gives them their characteristic
properties.

These solutions are described as being acidic and they have the following properties:

 They have a sour taste.

 They are corrosive.
 They change blue litmus to red.
 They have a pH value of less than 7
 They conduct an electric current, i.e. they are electrolytes.
Chemical Reactions of Acids in Aqueous Solutions

When acids react, the H' ions in the acid are replaced by metal or ammonium ions to form a
salt. Salts therefore contain metal or ammonium cations and negative anions from the acid.

Aqueous acids undergo the following reactions:

Acids react with reactive metals

 Acids, except nitric acid, react with metals above hydrogen in the reactivity series to
form a salt and hydrogen

Acids react with bases

 Acids react with bases, which are mainly metal hydroxides and metal oxides to form a
salt and water.
Acids react with metal carbonates and metal hydrogen carbonates

 Acids react with metal carbonates and metal hydrogen carbonates to form a salt, carbon
dioxide and water

The Basicity of Acids

Acids can be classified according to their basicity

Basicity is the number of H+ ions produced per molecule of acid when the acid
dissolves in water
Acid Anhydrides

An acid anhydride is a compound that reacts with water to form an acid

Acids in Living Systems

Bases

Bases are chemically opposite to acids. Bases include metal oxides, e.g. calcium oxide
(CaO), metal hydroxides, e.g. zinc hydroxide (Zn(OH),) and ammonia (NH3). A base is a
proton acceptor

Alkalis

An alkali is a base which dissolves in water to form a solution that contains OH- ions

General Properties of Aqueous Solutions of Alkalis

The presence of OH- ions in aqueous solutions of alkalis gives them their characteristic
properties.

These solutions are described as being alkaline and they have the following
properties:

 They have a bitter taste.

 They are corrosive.
 They feel soapy.
 They change red litmus to blue.
 They have a pH value greater than 7.
 They conduct an electric current, i.e. they are electrolytes.
Chemical Reactions of Bases

Distinguishing between acids and alkalis

Indicators are used to distinguish between acids and alkalis in aqueous solutions. An
indicator has one color in an acidic solution and another color in an alkaline solution.

The Strength of Acids and Alkalis

Measuring the Strength of Acids and Alkalis

The strength of an aqueous acid or alkali can be measured on the pH scale by using
universal indicator
Amphoteric Oxides and Hydroxides

An amphoteric oxide or hydroxide can react with both acids and strong alkalis to form a
salt and water

Classification of Oxides

Acid Oxides: Acidic oxides are oxides of some non-metals which reacts with alkalis to form
a salt and water. Many also react with water to form acids. They all oxides of non-metals.

Basic Oxides: Basic oxides are oxides of metals which react with acids to form salt and
water. Group I and some of Group II react with water to form hydroxides.
Amphoteric Oxides: Amphoteric oxides are oxides of the same metals which react with
both acids to form aluminum salts and water and strong alkalis to form aluminates

Neutral Oxides: Neutral oxides of some non-metals which do not react with acids or alkalis

Salts:
A salt is a compound formed when some or all of the hydrogen ions in an acid and are
replaced by metal or ammonium ions

The metal or ammonium ions can come from the metal itself, a base, a carbonate or a
hydrogen carbonate. Salts are ionic compounds which contain at least one metal or
ammonium cation and one anion from the acid.

Classification of Salt
Salts Formed by Some Common Acids

Water of Crystallization

Some salts may contain water of crystallization.

This is a fixed proportion of water molecules held within their crystal lattice.

 Salts containing water of crystallization are said to be hydrated and the water of
crystallization can be shown in the formula,

e.g. represents hydrated copper(ll) sulfate.

 In some compounds, water of crystallization is responsible for the shape, and

sometimes the color, of the crystals.
 If removed by heating, the salt becomes anhydrous; it loses its crystalline structure and
its color may change.
Methods Used to Prepare Salts

When preparing any salt, the following must be taken into account:

• The solubility of the salt being prepared.

• The solubility of the reactants being used to prepare the salt.

• The hydration of the salt being prepared.

Salts in Everyday Life

Dangers of Salts

Neutralization Reactions

A neutralization reaction is a reaction between a base and an acid to form a salt and water

In a neutralization reaction between an aqueous alkali and an aqueous acid, the OH- ions
of the alkali react with the H' ions of the acid
To Determine the Neutralization Point of an Acid- Alkali Reaction

The neutralization point of a reaction between an aqueous alkali and an aqueous acid is
determined by performing a titration using an indicator or temperature change.

Using an indicator

A fixed volume of alkali is measured using a pipette and run into a conical flask. A few
drops of indicator are added and the acid is added from the burette. The neutralization
point is determined when the color of the solution changes on the addition of a single drop
of acid from the burette.

Using temperature change (a thermometric titration)

When an acid neutralizes an alkali, energy is released. This energy heats up the
reaction mixture. The change in temperature of a solution can be used when acid is
added to an alkali to determine what volume of acid of known concentration is
needed to neutralize an alkali is called thermometric titration

A graph is drawn showing temperature against volume of acid added. Two straight lines of
best fit are drawn-and the point of intersection of the lines is the neutralization point

Method:

 Place a measured volume of alkali in an insulated container e.g a polystyrene drinking

cup
 Record the initial temperature of the alkali
 Add acid of known concentration from the burette in small amounts from the burette
 After each addition of acid, stir the solution in a cup and record its temperature

The end point of the reaction, when the acid has just neutralized the alkali is shown
by the break in the curve of a graph of temperature against volume of acid added
Using Neutralization Reactions in Everyday Life

Volumetric Analysis

Volumetric analysis involves performing a titration and using the results quantitatively in
one of two ways:

• To calculate the mole ratio in which the two reactants combine

• To calculate the molar concentration or mass concentration of one of the reactants used

Using a Titration to Determine Mole Ratios

If both reactants are standard solutions (their mass or molar concentrations are known) the
mole ratio in which they combine can be determined.
Using Titration to Determine Concentration
Acid – Base Titrations

Neutralization Reaction – The reaction between an acid and a base is called a

neutralization reaction. The products are a salt and water

Example:

The Ph changes by adding an acid drop by drop to a solution of potassium hydroxide to

which some universal indicator has been added:

 The indicator is blue-purple as the start (high ph.)

 As the acid is added the indicator color changes to blue and then to blue-green (ph. is
decreasing in the alkaline region
 When the acid has completely neutralized the alkali, the indicator is green (ph. 7)
 When the acid is in excess, the indicator changes from yellow and as more acid is
added, it turns red (ph. is below 7 and decreasing further)

The procedure called titration is used to determine the amount of substance present in
a given volume of solution of acid or alkali.

We add the acid gradually to the alkali until the alkali has been neutralized. We use an
acid-base indicator to find out when the acid has just reacted completely with the alkali.

The point where this occurs is called the end-point of the titration. At the end point the
color of the indicator suddenly changes

To find out the amount of substance present in a given volume of solution of

potassium hydroxide:

 Measure a known column of potassium hydroxide solution (alkali) Into a titration flask
using a volumetric pipette
 Add an indicator solution to the alkali in the flask
 Fill a clean burette with the acid (after having washed the burette with a little of the
acid) The acid in the burette has a known concentration (amount of substance present
in a given volume)
 Set up the apparatus and record the initial burette reading
 Slowly add the acid from the burette to the flask. Swirl the flask throughout to make
sure the contents are mixed
 When the indicator changed color, record the final burette reading. This is the rough
titration. The final burette reading minus the initial burette reading is called the titre
 Repeat steps 1 to 6 but this time when you are near the end point, add the acid drop by
drop
 Repeat the process until you have two titres that are not more than 0.1 cm 3 apart
Preparing soluble salts by titration

How can you make a soluble salt?

A soluble salt can be made titrating alkalis such as agroup 1 hydroxides or aqueous
ammonia with an acid. The titration is irl carried out using an indicator, then repeated
without the indicator, using the volume of acid to neutralize the alkali. This methos is
especially useful for making ammonium salts

Method:

 Put the alkali in the flask with a few drops of indicator

 Add the acid from the burette until the indicator changes color. You record the volume
of the acid added
 Repeat the experiment without the indicator in the flask. Add the volume of acid
recorded
 Allow crystals to form and filter. The crystals can then be carefully washed and dried
with filter paper. The crystals can then be carefully washed and dried with filter paper
 You put the solution from the flask into an evaporating basin and evaporate the water
until the crystallization point is reached

Thermometric Titrations

When an acid neutralizes an alkali, energy is released. This energy heats up the reaction
mixture. The change in temperature of a solution can be used when acid is added to an
alkali to determine what volume of acid of known concentration is needed to neutralize an
alkali is called thermometric titration

Method:

Place a measured volume of alkali in an insulated container e.g a polystyrene drinking cup

Record the initial temperature of the alkali

Add acid of known concentration from the burette in small amounts

After each addition of acid, stir the solution in a cup and record its temperature

The end point of the reaction, when the acid has just neutralized the alkali is shown
by the break in the curve of a graph of temperature against volume of acid added
Making a Standard Solution

A standard solution has a known accurate concentration at a specified temperature and

pressure. A standard concentration contains one mole of substance in 1 dm3 of solution
under standard conditions.

Calculations from Titration Results