Y9 Chemistry Core

Acids, Bases and Salt

Acids:

 An acid as an H+ ion (or proton) donor

 Acids have pH values of below 7, have a sour taste (when edible) and are corrosive
 Acids are substances that can neutralize a base, forming a salt and water.
 When acids are added to water, they form positively charged hydrogen ions (H+)
 The presence of H+ ions is what makes a solution acidic

Example: Hydrochloric Acid

HCl (aq) → H+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

All acids must be in aqueous form to be called acids.

Hydrochloric acid is hydrogen chloride gas dissolved in water.

The most common acids are:

H2SO4 sulfuric acid

H3PO4 phosphoric acid

H3PO3 phosphorous acid

H2CO3 carbonic acid

HC2H3O2 acetic acid

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The Brønsted–Lowry theory:

The theory explains why a pure acid behaves differently from its aqueous solution,
since for an acid to behave as an H+ ion donor it must have another substance present
to accept the H+ ion. So the water, in the aqueous acid solution, is behaving as a
Brønsted–Lowry base and accepting an H+ ion.
Generally: HA(aq) + H2 O(l) → H3 O+(aq) + A−(aq)
If a substance can behave both as a proton acceptor (base) and a proton donor (acid)
then it is called amphoteric, for example, aluminum oxide, Al 2 O3 and zinc oxide, ZnO

The relative strengths of acids and bases :

The relative strength of an acid is found by comparing one acid with another. The
strength of any acid depends upon how many molecules dissociate (or ionize) when
the acid is dissolved in water. The relative strength of a base is found by comparing
one base with another and is again dependent upon the dissociation of the base in
aqueous solution.

 A strong acid is an acid that is completely dissociated in aqueous solution.

Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid:
HCl(aq)→H+ (aq) + Cl−(aq).

 Both sulfuric acid and nitric acid also behave in this way and are therefore also
termed strong acids. All these acids have a high concentration of hydrogen ions in
solution (H+ (aq)) and have a low pH. Their solutions are good conductors of
electricity and they react quickly with metals, bases and metal carbonates.

 A weak acid, such as ethanoic acid, which is found in vinegar, produces few
hydrogen ions when it dissolves in water compared with a strong acid of the same
concentration. It is only partially dissociated. Its solution has a higher pH than a
strong acid, but still less than 7.
 Ethanoic acid hydrogen ions + ethanoate ions

 CH3 COOH(aq) H+(aq) + CH3 COO−(aq)

The sign means that the reaction is reversible.

 This means that if the ethanoic acid molecule breaks down to give hydrogen ions
and ethanoate ions then they will react together to re-form the ethanoic acid
molecule.

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 The reaction is reversible, means that few hydrogen ions are present in the solution
 Other examples of weak acids are citric acid, found in oranges and lemons; carbonic
acid, found in soft drinks; sulfurous acid (acid rain) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Indicators:
They are substances that change color when they are added to acidic or alkaline solutions.
Litmus, phenolphthalein, and methyl orange are all indicators that are commonly used in the
laboratory.

Thymol Colourless Blue Colourless

Phethaline

Universal indicator
A mixture of dyes that changes colour gradually over a range of pH from 4-14.

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What do you use universal indicator for?

PH Scale:
Unlike litmus, universal indicator can show us how strongly acidic or alkaline a solution is, not
just that the solution is acidic or alkaline. This is measured using the pH scale, which runs
from pH 0 to pH 14.

PH meter :
A pH meter is a scientific instrument that measures the hydrogen-ion activity in water-based
solutions, indicating its acidity or alkalinity expressed as pH.

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Reaction of acids:

 Generally in a chemical reaction the acid gives its proton and so called proton donor

1. Reaction of acids with metals (Displacement) or (Redox) according to the reactivity

series.
 Hydrogen gas is tested by lighted splint that burns with a pop sound

 Some examples of acid metal chemical reactions:

 Magnesium + Hydrochloric acid ⟶ Magnesium chloride + Hydrogen gas

[Mg(s)+2HCl(aq)⟶MgCl2(aq)+H2(g)]

 Magnesium + Sulphuric acid ⟶ Magnesium sulphate + Hydrogen

[Mg(s)+H2SO4(aq)⟶MgSO4(aq)+H2(g)]

 Iron + Sulfuric acid ⟶ Iron sulfate + Hydrogen

 [Fe(s)+H2SO4(aq)⟶FeSO4(aq)+H2(g)]

 This method can only be used with the less reactive metals such as aluminium. It
would be very dangerous to use a reactive metal, such as sodium, in this type of
reaction. The metals usually used in this method of salt preparation are the MAZIT
metals, that is, magnesium, aluminum, zinc, iron and tin.

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2. Reaction of acids with metals carbonates:

Carbon dioxide is tested with lime water as it changes to milky or turbid when CO2 passes
through it.

2HCl(aq)+MgCO3(s)→MgCl2(aq)+ H2O(l) +CO2(g)

CuCO3 (s) + 2HNO3 (aq) → Cu(NO3 ) 2 (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2 O(l)

3. Reaction of acids with bases : (Neutralization )

Before we understand neutralization we have to know what bases are.

Bases:
 A base as an H+ ion (or proton) acceptor.
 Bases have pH values of above 7.
 A base which is water-soluble is referred to as an alkali.
 In basic (alkaline) conditions red litmus paper turns blue and methyl orange
indicator turns yellow.
 Bases are substances which can neutralize an acid, forming a salt and water.Turns
Blue in thymolphthalein

Weak and Strong Alkalis (Soluble Bases)

1. Strong alkalis: completely dissociates in aqueous solution, producing lots of OH- ions

e.g.: NaOH (aq) → Na+ (aq) + OH- (aq)

2. Weak alkalis: partially ionize in water producing OH- ions

e.g: NH4OH (aq) NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq)

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(Neutralization):

A neutralization reaction occurs between an acid and a base to produce water;

H+(aq) + OH−(aq) → H2 O(l)

 Reaction of Acid with week alkalis (soluble base):

Example: to obtain sodium chloride crystals given sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid :

HCl +NaOH NaCl + H2O

 Reaction of Acid with metal oxide (insoluble bases):

Example: to copper sulfate salt given Copper oxide and sulfuric acid:

CuO + H2SO4 CuSo4 +H2O

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Bases are one of the following:

1. Metal Oxide (MgO)

2. Metal Hydroxide (NaOH)
3. Metal Carbonate (CaCO3)
4. Ammonium Salts (NH4)CO3, (NH4OH)

General reaction of bases:

1. With Acids (neutralization reaction ) discussed before
2. With Ammonium Salt

Ammonia in a laboratory:

 Calcium hydroxide + ammonium chloride → calcium chloride + water + ammonia

Ca(OH)2 (s) + 2NH4 Cl → CaCl2 + H2 O + 2NH3
The ammonia produced can be detected as being formed by its pungent odour and by
turning damp red litmus blue.

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