WATER, ACID AND BASES

WATER
–       Is essential for life. It is the most abundant substance in the living system and makes up
70% of our body weight.
Functions:
* it forms an essential part of all body cells and fluids
* it enters into or participates in biochemical reactions
* it provides a medium of transport for intra and extracellular process
*  it serves as a lubricant
* it also regulates body temperature by means of evaporation from the lungs and skin.

Properties of Water:
* melting point and boiling point
* specific heat of water
* heat of vaporization
* heat of fusion
* surface tension

Water's capacity to form hydrogen bonds gives it a relatively high boiling point (100’C) and a
relatively low freezing point (0’C).
Water polarity makes it an excellent solvent. Compounds that dissolve in water are hydrophilic
and those that do not are hydrophobic.

SOLUTIONS – a homogenous mixture of 2 or more substances. In an aqueous solution, water is

usually considered as a solvent or medium in which the solute is dissolved.
SOLUTE  – a substance present in a smaller amount.
SOLVENT – a substance present in a larger amount.

How can you predict whether a precipitate will form when a compound is added to a solution or
when 2 solutions are mixed? – It depends on the  SOLUBILITY – the maximum amount of solute
that will dissolve in a given quantity of solvent at a specific temperature.

ACIDS AND BASES

 Acids are defined in many different ways:
* General Solvent System Definition - solutes that ↑ the concentration of hydrogen ion.  
* Bronsted Lowry Definition - Acids are substances that donate protons to another compound.
* Lewis Definition - any substance that accepts an electron pair.

Like acids, Bases are defined in many different ways:

* General Solvent System Definition - solutes that ↑ the concentration of hydroxide ions.
* Bronsted Lowry Definition - considers the bases as proton acceptors.
* Lewis Definition - any substances that are electron-pair donors.

Properties of Acids:
* Acids have a sour taste. Ex: vinegar owes its sourness to acetic acid and lemons and other
citrus fruit contains citric acid.
* Acid causes color changes in plant dyes: litmus paper turns from blue to red.
* Acids react with certain metals such as zinc and magnesium.
* Acids react with carbonates and bicarbonates: NaCO3 and CaCO3.
* Aqueous acids solution conducts electricity
* They furnish protons when they react with bases:
                Monoprotic – acids that give 1 proton and yield 1 H+ ion (HCl, HNO3)
                Diprotic – furnishes 2 protons and yields 2 H+ ions. (H2SO4)
                Triprotic – yields 3H+ ions. (H3PO4)

Properties of Bases:
* Have a bitter taste.
* Bases feel slippery.
* Cause color changes in plant dyes: red to blue.
* React with nonmetallic oxides forming salts and water
* Furnish hydroxide ions.
* Conduct electricity the same with acids – therefore they are called ELECTROLYTES – a
substance that when dissolved in water, results in a solution that can conduct electricity.

pH
- The negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration.
- The logarithm of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentration.

General Rule:
* pH neutrality is 7.0
* Low pH value (below 7), high H+ concentration – acid
* High pH value (above 7), low H+ concentration – basic
* As the H+ ion ↓s, pH ↑ - alkaline
* As the H+ ion ↑s, pH ↓ - acidic
* Solution where pH value lies between 0-7.0 –acid
* Solution where pH value lies between 7-14 – alkaline

pH value                            examples
0                                          HCl
0 - 1.0                                battery acids
1.0 – 3.0                            stomach acids
2.3                                      lemon juice
3.0                                      vinegar, wine, soft drinks, beer, orange juice, some acid rain
4.0                                      tomatoes, grapes
4.6                                      bananas
5.0                                      black coffee, shaving lotion, bread, normal rainwater
5.0 – 7.0                            urine
6.6                                      milk
6.2 – 7.4                            saliva
7.0                                      pure water
7.3 – 7.4                            blood
8.0                                      egg white
7.8 – 8.3                            seawater
9.0                                      baking soda, phosphate detergent, Clorox
10.0                                    soap solution, milk of magnesia
10.5 – 11.9                       household ammonia
12.0                                    sodium carbonate
12.0 – 13.0                       hair remover
13.0 – 14.0                       oven cleaner
14.0                                    sodium hydroxide