TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE

PHILIPPINES VISAYAS
Chemical Engineering Technology Department

ACIDS, BASES &

SALTS
Prepared by: Ms. Fritzie B. Asuncion, MT
 DEFINITION OF ACID
An ACID is a substance whose molecules yield
hydrogen ions (H+) when dissolved in water. They
are an important class of hydrogen containing
compounds. Some examples of acids are:

HCl
H2SO4
CH3COOH
 IDENTIFICATION OF ACID
Acid solutions are identified by the way they affect
colors of some indicators. Litmus paper
phenolphthalein are two such indicators.

Litmus papers phenolphthalein

 IDENTIFICATION OF ACID

blue to red = acidic Phenolphthalein becomes

red to blue = basic colorless in acidic solutions
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS

1. ) They have
sour taste.

They contain weak acids in solution.

 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
Vinegar which is an important food ingredient is a flavored solution of acetic acid
(CH3COOH).
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS

Acetic acid is produced by the process called FERMENTATION

(conversion of sugar compounds present in fruits to
alcohol with the liberation of carbon dioxide gas.)

With the subsequent action of oxygen in air, the alcohol

is converted to acetic acid and water. Such a process is
known as oxidation. The mixture of acetic acid and
water is called vinegar.
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
By fermentation, it is converted to ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH)
with the liberation of carbon dioxide gas as shown by the
following reaction:

(Fermentation Process)
C6H12O6  2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2 (g)
glucose ethyl alcohol carbon dioxide gas
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
With the action of oxygen, ethyl alcohol is converted to
acetic acid (CH3COOH) with water as the by- product
according to the following reaction:
(Oxidation Process)
C2H5OH + O2 (g)  CH3COOH + H2O  
ethyl alcohol oxygen gas acetic acid water
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
2.) They contain ionizable hydrogen which in water
solution exist as positive ion (H+).
 

HCl  H+ + Cl-
(in solution)

CH3COOH  H+ + CH3COO-
(in solution)
 
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
2.) They contain ionizable hydrogen which in
water solution exist as positive ion (H+).
 

Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is an example of an acid that can

release two hydrogen ions per molecule as shown below :

H2SO4  2 H+ + SO4 -2
(in solution)

 
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS

Application/Uses:
The presence of positive and negative ions which are free to
move around at random among water molecules in aqueous
acids makes the solution a conductor of electricity. Sulfuric
acid solution is utilized as an electrolyte, a medium for
electrons to travel between the lead and lead dioxide
electrodes of a storage battery.
 
Application/Uses:
“Lead-Acid Storage Battery”
 
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
3a.) They react with most metals releasing hydrogen
gas and at the same time producing salts.

Hydrochloric acid if allowed to react with iron produces a salt

ferric chloride (FeCl3) with the simultaneous release of
hydrogen gas as in the following reaction:
 

2Fe (S) + 6 HCl (aq)  2 FeCl3 + 3 H2(g)

  iron metal hydrochloric acid ferric chloride hydrogen gas
  
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
3b.) They also react with oxides of metals
producing salt and water.
When sulfuric acid is allowed to react with iron (II) oxide
(FeO), forms the salt ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) and water
according the reaction below : 
FeO(S) + H2SO4(aq)  FeSO4 + H2O
ferrous oxide sulfuric acid ferrous sulfate water
(rust)
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
Application/Uses: ”Iron
and Steel Industry”
Scales and rust removal is
accomplished by the above
mentioned chemical reactions.
Such a process is known as
pickling. It is generally carried out
at room temperature in dilute
solutions of either hydrochloric or
sulfuric acids. “pickling bath”
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
4.) Acids neutralize bases or vice-versa producing salt
and water.
In a mixture of an acid and a metal hydroxide solutions of
equivalent quantities, each component neutralizes the
properties of the other and form other substances such as
salt and water. The general reaction equation is as follows:
acid + metal hydroxide  salt + water
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
Application/Uses: ”Leather Manufacture”
In this industry, lactic acid, (CH3CH(OH))COOH is used in
treating prepared animal skins (hide).

 
 PROPERTIES OF ACIDS
Application/Uses: ”Leather Manufacture”
The lactic acid neutralizes the residual lime that was absorbed
during treatment with saturated calcium hydroxide solution.
The reaction involved is as follows :
2CH3CH(OH)COOH + Ca(OH)2  (CH3CH(OH)COO)2Ca + 2H2O
lactic acid calcium calcium lactate water
hydroxide  
 LEATHER TANNING

Tanning is the process of treating skins and hides of animals

 to produce leather. A tannery is the place where the skins are
processed. Tanning hide into leather involves a process which
permanently alters the protein structure of skin, making it more durable
and less susceptible to decomposition, and also possibly coloring it.
LEATHER PRODUCTS
 CLASSIFICATION OF ACIDS
Acids are classified as weak or strong according to their
ability to form hydrogen ions in water solutions.
Strong acids - give relatively high concentration of hydrogen
ions because they ionize completely or nearly so
in solution.
Examples:
Mineral Acids (acids prepared from minerals on earth):
Nitric acid, Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and other
inorganic acids
 CLASSIFICATION OF ACIDS
Weak acids - give low concentration of hydrogen ions in
solution (ionize slightly when in solution)

Examples:
Organic acids :
acetic acid (vinegar),
citric acid (lemon, oranges)
lactic acid (milk).
 
 DEFINITION OF A BASE
BASES are substances that accept or react with H+ ions.
Some examples are:

Ca(OH)2

NH4OH

NaOH
 IDENTIFICATION OF BASE
Bases like acids are identified by the use of indicators.
A drop of a base solution changes a red litmus paper to blue. Phenolphthalein becomes red
from colorless in base solution.

acid base
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
1.) Bases furnish hydroxyl ions (OH-) in
solution.
Some bases when in solution furnish one hydroxyl ion per
molecule. They dissociate completely or nearly so giving
only one hydroxyl ion per molecule as shown below:
NaOH  Na+ + OH-
in water in water

KOH  K+ + OH-
in water in water
 PROPERTIES OF BASES

1.) Bases furnish hydroxyl ions (OH-) in

solution.
Other bases can furnish two or even three hydroxyl ions per molecule.
Calcium hydroxide(Ca(OH)2 ) for instance can give two hydroxyl ions per
molecule as shown below:
 
Ca(OH)2  Ca+2 + 2OH-
in water in water
 
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
• Application/Uses:
“LIME-SODA SOFTENING PROCESS”
(method used in reducing water hardness)
The hydroxyl ions which are present in basic solutions could be
used as a precipitant in removing or reducing water’s most
troublesome impurity known as water hardness.
WATER HARDNESS is caused by the dissolved
salts of calcium and magnesium present in
water.
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
• Application/Uses:
“LIME-SODA SOFTENING PROCESS”
(method used in reducing water hardness)
The precipitation reactions are as follows :

Ca(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2  2CaCO3(S) + 2H2O

in raw water lime calcium carbonate water

MgCl2 + Ca(OH)2  Mg(OH)2(S) + CaCl2

in raw water lime magnesium hydroxide calcium chloride

 
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
2.) Strong solutions of bases are caustic and have a
slippery feel.
 Very soluble bases are soapy and have a slippery feel when rubbed
between the thumb and forefinger.
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
2.) Strong solutions of bases are caustic and have a
slippery feel.
They attack the skin and may cause severe burns.
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
2.) Strong solutions of bases are caustic and have a
slippery feel.
They destroy wooden materials by dissolving the lignin (a complex organic
polymer deposited in the cell walls of many plants, making them rigid and woody) from
the cellulose fibers.
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
• Application/Uses:
“LEATHER INDUSTRY”
The action of basic solutions
on skin and hair finds
application in the leather
industry. Before a hide is
tanned, it undergoes a liming
process.

 
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
• Application/Uses:
“LEATHER INDUSTRY”
The hide (animal skin) is
soaked in a saturated lime
solution for 3 to 7 days. This
process loosens the hair from
the epidermis and are
subsequently removed from
the hide.

 
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
• Application/Uses:
“PULP&PAPER INDUSTRY”
The ability of a hydroxide solution to dissolve
the lignin from the cellulose fibers finds
application in the pulp and paper industry.
Sodium hydroxide together with sodium sulfide
and steam serve as the cooking liquor where
small chips of wood are digested to produce the
pulp for the paper manufacture.
 
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
3.) Base solutions of active metals saponify fats.
A base solution, when saponifying a fat breaks a long chain
of hydrocarbons to form a metallic salt and an alcohol.

The general saponification reaction is as follows:

Fat + Caustic soda  Metallic salt + Alcohol

 PROPERTIES OF BASES
• Application/Uses:
“SOAP MANUFACTURE”
Sodium hydroxide is used to hydrolyze the glyceryl stearate in the presence of
heat to form a metallic salt, sodium stearate and glycerin as shown in the
following chemical equation:
 

(C17H35COO)3C3H5 + 3NaOH  3C17H35COONa + C3H5(OH)3

glyceryl stearate sodium sodium stearate glycerin
(fat) hydroxide (soap) (alcohol)
(caustic soda)
The metallic salt, sodium stearate formed in the saponification reaction is commonly
known as soap.
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
4.) Bases react with the oxides of non-metals to form salt
and sometimes water.
• Application/Uses: “AIR-SEPARATION
PROCESS” (produces low purity O (90-98%)
2

Before air is subjected to high pressure compression, it is stripped

off of its carbon dioxide content by reaction with potassium
hydroxide solution (scrubber). The KOH solution is passed
counter current to the upward flow of air.
AIR-SEPARATION
PROCESS
 PROPERTIES OF BASES
4.) Bases react with the oxides of non-metals to form salt
and sometimes water.
• Application/Uses: “AIR-SEPARATION
PROCESS”
In the process of scrubbing, the KOH reacts with the CO2 content of air
forming potassium carbonate(K2CO3) and water as shown below:
CO2(g) + 2KOH  K2CO3(s) + H2 O
 PROPERTIES OF BASES

• Application/Uses: “AIR-SEPARATION PROCESS”

Reaction when there is enough KOH to react with the CO2 content of air:

CO2(g) + 2KOH  K2CO3(s) + H2O

carbon dioxide potassium hydroxide potassium carbonate water

When not enough KOH is available for reaction with CO2, only potassium bicarbonate is
formed:

CO2(g) + KOH  KHCO3(S)

carbon dioxide potassium hydroxide potassium bicarbonate
 CLASSIFICATION OF BASES
Bases are classified according to their ability to produce hydroxide ions in water
solutions.
 
1. STRONG BASES give a relatively high concentration of hydroxide ions
because they dissociate completely or nearly so in solutions. NaOH and KOH
are strong bases.
 
2. WEAK BASES give a relatively low concentration of hydroxide ions because
they are slightly dissociated in solutions. NH4OH is an example of a weak
base.
 
 
 
 WHAT IS A SALT?

SALT is an ionic compound composed of a metal cation or its

equivalent and an anion except the hydroxide or oxide ion.
Some common salts are:

NaCl CuSO4 Fe(NO)3 KBr

 FORMATION OF SALTS

1.) Salts can be formed by neutralization reaction.

 
Example:
 

KOH + HCl(aq)  KCl + H 2O

potassium hydroxide hydrochloric acid potassium chloride water

(base) (acid) (salt) (water)

 FORMATION OF SALTS

2.) Salts can also be formed by the direct union of

elements.
 
Example:

2 Na(S) + Cl2(g)  2 NaCl(S)

sodium chlorine sodium chloride
(salt )
 
 FORMATION OF SALTS

3.) Salts are also formed by replacement of the hydrogen ion in

an acid by an active metal.
 
Example:
Zn(S) + 2 HCl(aq)  ZnCl2 + H2(g)
zinc hydrochloric acid zinc chloride hydrogen gas
(metal) (acid) (salt) (gas)
 
 FORMATION OF SALTS

4.) Salts are also formed by the reaction of a metal oxide with
the non-metal oxide.

Example:

CaO(S) + SO3(g)  CaSO4(S)

calcium oxide sulfur trioxide calcium sulfate

(metal oxide) (non-metal oxide) (salt)

 
 
 PROPERTIES OF SALTS

1.) Salts form ions in solutions.

Like acids and bases, salts also separate into ions in
solutions. Salts when in solution yield positive ions other
than hydrogen ions and negative ions other than hydroxide
ions.
For example, copper(II) sulfate will yield copper(II) ions and
 

sulfate
CuSO4 ions
 Cu in
+ solution.
SO (S)
Copper(II) sulfate
+2

copper(II) ion
4
sulfate ion
-2

   (in water) (in water)

 
 
 
 Application/Uses:
“ELECTROPLATING
INDUSTRY”
Electroplating is the process of plating one metal
onto another by hydrolysis, most commonly for
decorative purposes or to prevent corrosion of a
metal. Copper plating is the process of plating a
layer of copper electrolytically on the surface of an
item. It takes place in an electrolytic cell where
electrolysis which uses direct electric current to
dissolve a copper rod and transport
the copper ions to the item. CuSO4 solution serves
as an electrolyte in copper plating.
COPPER-PLATED ITEMS
 PROPERTIES OF SALTS

2.) Some salts react with oxygen to

form a more stable salt.
For example, sodium sulfite (Na2SO3) reacts with oxygen to form sodium
sulfate (Na2SO4) which is a more stable salt than sodium sulfite.
The reaction is shown by the following chemical equation :

2Na2SO3(S) + O2(g)  2 Na2SO4(S)

  sodium sulfite oxygen gas sodium sulfate
 APPLICATION/USES: “WATER TREATMENT”
WATER contains oxygen gas molecules which is known as
dissolved oxygen. Although the amount of dissolved oxygen in
water is only about 0.004 g per 100 grams water at 25OC, if not
removed from water will cause corrosion of metal equipment. The
corrosion of iron as it reacts with oxygen and water is shown as :

2 Fe(s) + O2(g) + 2 H2O  2 Fe(OH)2(S)

iron dissolved oxygen water ferrous hydroxide (rust)
 PROPERTIES OF SALTS
To stop this corrosion reaction requires the removal of
dissolved oxygen in water. One method utilized by
industries is to add oxygen removing compounds called
scavengers.

2Na2SO3(S) + O2(g)  2 Na2SO4(S)

  sodium sulfite oxygen gas sodium sulfate
(SCAVENGER)
 PROPERTIES OF SALTS

3.) Some salts react with acids.

For example, sodium bicarbonate(NaHCO3)reacts with sulfuric acid to form
sodium sulfate, water and carbon dioxide according to the following reaction:
 

2NaHCO3 + H2SO4(aq)  Na2SO4 + 2H2O + 2CO2(g)

sodium bicarbonate sulfuric acid sodium sulfate water carbon dioxide
 APPLICATION/USES:
“SODA-ACID FIRE EXTINGUISHERS”

A soda-acid extinguisher was
patented in the U.S. in 1881 by
Almon M. Granger.
His extinguisher used the
reaction between sodium
bicarbonate solution and
sulfuric acid to expel pressurized
water onto a fire.
“SODA-ACID FIRE EXTINGUISHERS”
This type of fire extinguisher
uses sodium bicarbonate solution
contained in a strong copper tank.
Hanging just above the salt
solution is a bottle of sulfuric acid.
Sulfuric
acid When needed for use, the bottle is
broken by pressing the lever
provided in the tank. To have a
thorough mixing , the extinguisher
must be inverted.  
 “SODA-ACID FIRE EXTINGUISHERS”
The main function of carbon dioxide gas is to develop high pressure
inside the tank. This pressure forces a stream of water out of the hose.
Another function of carbon dioxide gas is to create a gaseous inert blanket
around the fire, minimizing the supply of oxygen gas, thus aiding the water
in putting out the fire.

2NaHCO3 + H2SO4(aq)  Na2SO4 + 2H2O + 2CO2(g)

sodium bicarbonate sulfuric acid sodium sulfate water carbon dioxide
 PROPERTIES OF SALTS

4.) Some salts are deliquescent.

DELIQUESCENSE is the property of certain substances to absorb
water from the surrounding air forming a solution. A good example
of a salt that is deliquescent is calcium chloride ,CaCl2.
  
This is the reason why this salt is used as
a drying agent in laboratory desiccators.
This salt minimizes the errors in analysis
by reducing the absorption of moisture of
the sample being analyzed.
 PROPERTIES OF SALTS
5.) Some salt crystals posses water of hydration.
Examples:
is the definite
CuSO4. 5H2O proportion of water held
Copper sulfate pentahydrate by some substances
necessary for the
MgCl2 . 6H2O formation of its crystal
Magnesium chloride hexahydrate structure.
 WATER OF HYDRATION

2. Some salts are deliquescent.

 PROPERTIES OF SALTS
5.) Some salt crystals posses water of hydration.
Gypsum, CaSO4.2H2O another
hydrated salt, finds use in the
making calcined gypsum.
Calcined gypsum in turn is made
into wall plasters by the addition
water and fibers like asbestos ,
wood pulp, bagasse or sand.

CaSO4.2H2O
Calcium sulfate dihydrate
 PROPERTIES OF SALTS

The chemical equations below shows how gypsum is turned to plaster of Paris or
calcined gypsum and how the plaster of Paris is converted back to the hard gypsum.
 
Calcining reaction:
heat
2CaSO4.2H2O(S) (CaSO4)2.H2O + 3H2O
gypsum plaster of Paris
 

Hardening reaction:
(CaSO4)2.H2O + 3H2O 2 CaSO4.2H2O plaster of Paris
gypsum
(wall plaster)
Plaster of Paris
a white powdery slightly hydrated
calcium sulfate CaSO4·¹/₂H2O or
2CaSO4·H2O that is made by calcining
gypsum, forms a quick-setting paste
with water, and is used in medicine
chiefly in casts and for surgical
bandages

is a white powder that mixes with

water to form a paste that hardens
quickly and is used for casts and molds.
 CLASSIFICATION OF SALTS
Salts are classified according to whether they contain hydrogen ion or
hydroxide ion.

1.) Normal salt is a salt formed which contains no replaceable

hydrogen ions for all have taken part in the neutralization reaction.
Example:

2NaOH + H2SO4  Na2SO4 + 2H2O

sodium sulfate

(normal salt)
 CLASSIFICATION OF SALTS
2.) Acid salt is a salt formed which still contains replaceable
hydrogen ion(s).

Example :
NaNO3 + H2SO4  NaHSO4 + HNO3
sodium bisulfate

(acid salt)

 
 CLASSIFICATION OF SALTS
3.) Basic salt is a salt formed which still contain hydroxide
ion(s).

Example :

Bi(OH)3 + NaNO3  Bi(OH)2NO3 + NaOH

Bismuth dihydroxy nitrate

(basic salt)
*END OF DISCUSSION*