O LEVEL CHEMISTRY

TEACHING NOTE

ACIDS, BASES AND SALTS

Ghana Christian International

High School
THE CHEMISTRY AND USES OF ACIDS, BASES AND
SALTS

Learning Objectives
Students should be able to:
1. Describe the meanings of the terms acid and alkali in terms
of the ions they contain or produce in aqueous solution
and their effects on Universal Indicator paper
2. Describe the characteristic properties of acids as in
reactions with metals, bases and carbonates
3. Describe the characteristic properties of bases as in
reactions with acids and ammonium salt.
 TERMINOLOGIES OF THE TOPIC
• Acid
• Base
• Alkali
• salt
• Indicator
• Neutralization
• pH
• Strong and weak acid
• Strong and weak base
• Titration
• Precipitation
• Solubility
 WHAT IS AN ACID?

An acid is an any substance which produces hydrogen ions when dissolved in water.
All acids contain hydrogen but not all compounds that contain hydrogen are acids.
For example both and contain hydrogen but are not acids because they do not
produce hydrogen ions in water.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ACIDS:
•i.   Acids have a sour taste
ii. Acids are indicators. That is they turn common indicators such as blue litmus to
red.
iii. Acids are hazardous and are irritants.
iv. They have a choking smell
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ACIDS

Acids react with reactive metals to form hydrogen gas and a salt. The
general equation is metal + acid salt + hydrogen gas
+
Acids react with metal oxide to form salt and water
•  
Metal oxide + acid salt + water
+
Acids react with metal hydroxide to form salt and water
Metal hydroxide + acid salts + water
+ +
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ACIDS

Acids react with aqueous ammonia to form ammonium salt

Aqueous ammonia + acid ammonium salt
+
Acids react with pure carbonate and the hydrogen carbonate to form salt,
carbon
•   dioxide and water
Pure carbonate + acid salt + carbon dioxide + water
Hydrogen carbonate + acid salt + carbon dioxide + water
+ ++
+ ++
CHARACTERISTICS PROPERTIES OF ACIDS

Many acid exist naturally in plants and foods. Examples are;

Ethanoic acid – found in vinegar and tomatoes
Citric acid- found in citrus foods like lemon, oranges and
grapefruit
Lactic acid – found in sour milk.
Formic acid – found in bee stings
Some acids are also prepare in the laboratory. Examples are
hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid and nitric acid
USES OF ACIDS
 WHAT ARE BASES AND ALKALIS?
What is a base?
A base is any metal oxide or metal hydroxide. This means that a base contain
either oxide ions or hydroxide ions..
A base can also be define as a substance that reacts with an acid to give a salt
and water only.
PHYSICAL
•   PROPERTIES OF AKALIS:
An alkalis is a base or metal oxide that is soluble in water. An example is sodium
oxide.
1. Alkalis have bitter taste and soapy feel
2. Alkalis turns red litmus paper blue.
3. Alkalis produce hydroxide ions when dissolve in water.
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ALKALIS
All alkalis react with acids to form salt and water only.

Alkalis react with ammonium salt to form ammonia gas.

Alkalis can react with a solution of one metal salt to form metal hydroxide and
another metal salt.
USES OF BASES AND ALKALIS
SHORT EXERCISE
KEY IDEAS TO NOTE FROM THE LESSON AND
CONCLUSION
• An acid is a substance which produces hydrogen ions when dissolved in water.
• The main properties of acids are as follows. They
 Have a sour taste; dissolve in water to form solutions which conduct electricity; turns blue
litmus paper red
 React with reactive metals to form salt and hydrogen gas; react with carbonates to form
salt, carbon dioxide and water; react with metal oxide and hydroxide to produce salt and
water only.
 A base is a substance which reacts with acids to form a salt and water only;
 An alkali is a solution formed when a base dissolves in water
 The main properties of alkalis are as follows:
 Have a bitter taste and a soapy feel; turn red litmus blue;
 Produce ammonia gas when heated with ammonium salt