Acids and Alkalis

Acids and alkalis

Learning Objectives:
 Give examples of acids and alkalis.
 Compare properties of acids and alkalis.
 Know the pH of acidic, alkaline and neutral solutions.
 Understand what neutralisation is.

Starter Questions:
 Name 3 acids.
 Name one property of acids and another of alkalis.
 Give the colors of litmus indicator in acidic and alkaline solutions.
 Explain what neutralization is and write down the word equation for one neutralization reaction.
 Video time

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2x4foEuRcI
Examples of Acids in our daily lives
 Laboratory acids

- Most people think of acids as corrosive.

Corrosive ( liquid that fizz when they come into contact with solids and
burn when they touch the skin )

- This is true for concentrated acids, but, some acids are

found in our food and give food its sour taste (dilute forms)

- However, on using acids in the lab, make sure that it

doesn’t touch your skin.
 Concentrated acids

- Concentrated acids are acids mixed with very little

water.
- They are much more dangerous than dilute acids.
- Concentrated acids are corrosive.
- They can attack metals and destroy skin if spilled.
- Their bottles are labelled with a warning symbol to
show that they are corrosive.
Making acids less dangerous.
 Acids can be found in:

Plants Animals

- Orange and lemon juice Citric acid - Mammalian stomach Hydrochloric acid

- Grapes Tartaric acid - Muscles during Lactic acid

vigorous exercise

- Citrus fruits and Ascorbic acid - Urine Uric acid

blackcurrants (Vitamin C)

- Ant sting Methanoic acid

 Alkalis:
They are the chemical opposites of acids and often have a soapy feel.

Examples of alkalis Uses

Sodium hydroxide and potassium Used in laboratories.

hydroxide solution

Calcium hydroxide (lime) Used in industries to make bleach and

whitewash.

Weak sol. Of calcium hydroxide (lime Test for co₂ in breath

water)
- A concentrated solution of an alkali is corrosive.

- Dilute solutions of alkali, such as sodium hydroxide,

react with fat on the surface of the skin and change it
into substances found in soap.

- House hold cleaners used of metals, floors and ovens

contain alkalis and must be handled carefully.
 Detecting acids and alkalis

- An indicator is a dye that changes colour depending on whether a

solution is acidic or alkaline.
- Many plants contain dyes that can be used as indicators. (hydrangea)
 Detecting acids and alkalis

- Litmus was used in laboratories around the

world.

- It can be used as a solution of absorbed into

paper strips.
Acid Litmus solution Alkali

Purple + acid red

Purple + alkali blue

Litmus paper
 A R A B

ACID BLUE
ALKAL
RED
I
What is wrong with an indicator that has
only 2 colours?
 pH scale

- The pH scale starts from 0 – 14.

- The strongest acid is 0 and the strongest alkali is 14.
- The universal indicator consists of a mixture of plant dyes and
therefore has a wide range of colours.
 
 pH Classification
0-2 Strong acid
3-6 Weak acid
7 Neutral
8 - 11 Weak alkali
12 - 14 Strong alkali

- N.B. An electrical instrument known as pH meter is used to measure pH accurately.

Red – orange – green – blue – purple

Neutralisation

- When an acid reacts with an alkali

Neutralisation process occurs

 Neutralisation reaction equation:

Acid + alkali salt + water

Some examples of neutralisation processes:

Hydrochloric Sodium Sodium

+ + Water
acid Hydroxide Chloride

Potassium Potassium
Sulphuric acid + + Water
Hydroxide sulphate
 Sodium Sodium
Nitric acid + + Water
Hydroxide Nitrate
- Sodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate) is a white solid.
- It is not an alkali, but, when dissolved in water it produces an alkaline
solution.

Sodium
+ Hydrochloric Sodium Carbon
hydrogen + + Water
acid Chloride dioxide
carbonate
 Calcium + Hydrochloric Calcium + Carbon + Water
carbonate acid Chloride dioxide
 Using Neutralisation reactions
Insect stings
Neutralised by
- Bee sting (acidic) Soap (alkali)

- Wasp sting (alkaline) Neutralised by

Vinegar (weak acid)

Bee Wasp
 Curing indigestion
- Indigestion is caused by the stomach making too much acid to
digest food.

- Indigestion tablets contain sodium bicarbonate which dissolves to

form an alkaline solution.

- This alkaline solution neutralises the stomach acid and cures

indigestion.
 Baking a cake
- Baking powder contains a mixture of an acid and sodium
bicarbonate.

- When baking powder is mixed with water and flour to make a

cake

Sodium
Carbon +
bicarbonate + acid Water
dioxide
solution

- The CO₂ forms bubbles in the mixture making it rise and giving it
the light texture.
 - Improving crop growth
- Acidity in the soil affects crops and
make the produce less food.

- Lime (calcium hydroxide) is used to

neutralise acidity in soil.

Fields appearing white after

application of lime
 Acid rain

Natural acid rain

- CO₂ in the air dissolves in the water in
clouds forming Carbonic acid (weak acid)

- When this weak acid falls on limestone a

reaction occurs and some of the limestone
is washed away.

Cracks called grikes appear

 Air pollution and acid rain

- Fuels such as coals and oil contain sulphur.

- When the fuel is burnt it reacts with the oxygen in

the air to form sulphur dioxide.

- The sulphur dioxide reacts with the oxygen and

water in the air to form sulphuric acid.

- Factories and cars also produce nitrogen oxides

which produces nitric acid.
 Making salts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIOMlwBoe_4
 Making salts
This method shows how a soluble salt is produced from an acid and an insoluble reactant.
To illustrate the method, hydrochloric acid and zinc carbonate are used:

1- Add some dilute hydrochloric acid to a beaker.

2- Add powdered zinc carbonate to some acid, one spatula at a time, stirring to mix. The
mixture will effervesce.
3- Continue adding powder until it is in excess (some unreacted powder is left over).
4- Filter the mixture in the beaker to remove the excess zinc carbonate.
5- Pure dry crystals of zinc chloride can be produced by crystallisation, then filtration to
remove excess solution, followed by drying on a watch glass or in a warm oven.
 Making salts
Reasons for each step
1- the acid is warmed to make the reaction faster.
2- the mixture will fizz because the reaction of an
acid with a carbonate produces carbon dioxide gas.
3- if there is an excess of the solid reactant, all of
the acid will react.
4- the unreacted insoluble reactant is removed,
leaving a solution containing only the salt and
water.
 Homework:
Workbook P. 24 + 93