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What is an acid?

Acids are a group of soluble chemicals.

What do you know about acids?
Are all acids dangerous?

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Acid or alkali?

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What is a weak acid?

Some acids are found in everyday items such as food and

drink, and skincare products.

It is safe to handle these acids, and in some cases even to

taste them! These acids are known as weak acids.

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What is a strong acid?

Some acids, like those found in the laboratory or a car

battery, are too dangerous to taste or touch.

These acids are said

to be corrosive as
they can damage
other materials by
wearing them away.

These are strong acids.

What safety precautions should you take when handling a

strong acid?

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The Acid Bath Murderer

Concentrated acids can completely dissolve skin and bones.

In the 1940s, an Englishman called John Haigh murdered six

people, and disposed of each of the bodies by dissolving them
in sulfuric acid for two days.

Without the bodies as evidence Haigh

thought he would get away with the
crimes, but a pathologist found human
fat, pieces of bone, gall stones and
false teeth, which had resisted the acid.

John Haigh was found guilty of the murders and sentenced to

death by hanging in 1949.

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What is an alkali?

Alkalis are substances that are chemically the opposite

of acids.
Weak alkalis are found in soaps and other
cleaning materials. They are also used in
antacids to treat indigestion.
It is safe to handle these
alkalis, which often feel soapy.
These alkalis are weak
alkalis.

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What is a strong alkali?

Some alkalis, like those used

in laboratories, or in cleaning
materials such as bleach, are
too dangerous to touch.
These alkalis are said to be
caustic because they can
burn skin, and damage other
materials.
These are strong alkalis.
What safety precautions
should you take when
handling a strong alkali?

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What effect do alkalis have on our skin?

Many people suffer from eczema, a condition which can make

the skin itchy and sore.

Sometimes this is caused by

an allergic reaction to soap
or other cleaning materials.

Which chemicals in soap do

you think might cause the
allergic reaction?

How could you find

out what is causing
the allergic reaction?

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What is a neutral substance?

Neutral substances are neither acidic nor alkaline.

 Pure water is a neutral substance.

 Saltwater, milk, saliva and

blood may actually be slightly
acidic or alkaline, but are all
very close to neutral.

What safety precautions should

you take when handling a
neutral substance?

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Acids, alkalis and plants

Some flowers change colour depending on whether they are

growing in acidic or alkaline soil. Hydrangeas grow blue
flowers in an acidic soil, but pink flowers in an alkaline soil.

The flowers contain compounds called anthocyanins, which

act as indicators.

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What is an indicator?

An indicator is a chemical that turns a different colour

depending on whether it is added to an acid or an alkali.

Litmus is a commonly used indicator. It can be added to filter

paper, or used as a liquid. Litmus is made from lichen, which
grows on stone and rock.

Litmus can be blue or red.

Blue litmus turns red under
acidic conditions (< pH 4.5),
and red litmus turns blue under

neutral
alkaline conditions (> pH 8.3).

alkali
What colour do you think litmus acid
is under neutral conditions?

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The litmus test

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The litmus test

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Making indicators from plants

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What is universal indicator?
Universal indicator has a range of colours that show how
weak or strong the acid or alkali is.

strong acid weak acid neutral weak alkali strong alkali

What is the colour for a weak acid?

What is the colour for a strong alkali?

Universal indicator is made from a mixture of indicators.

Why do you think it is more useful than litmus?

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What is the pH scale?

The strength of an acid or alkali is measured by the pH scale.

Each universal indicator colour is given a pH value.

Universal indicator can tell you the pH of a solution.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

strong acid neutral strong alkali

What is the pH of a weak acid?

What is the pH of a strong alkali?

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Using universal indicator

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What is the pH?

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Soil pH

Different soils have different pH levels. This is because

they are made up of different rocks, and so contain
different chemicals.

The pH of soil affects the

availability of nutrients,
and plants prefer to grow
in soils of a certain pH.

For example, strawberries

grow best in acidic soil,
and plums grow best in
alkaline soil.

How could you check the pH of the soil in your garden?

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Testing the pH of soils

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Changing soil pH

If soil is too acidic to grow certain crops, lime can be added.

Lime is an alkali called calcium oxide.

What effect does lime have on the pH of soil?

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Acid or alkali: true or false?

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Acid or alkali: summary

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Glossary

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Anagrams

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Multiple-choice quiz

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