9 Acids and Alkalis 中 /EN

Flipped classroom

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Why firefighters
need to wear special
protective clothes
when they handle
accidents involving
acids or alkalis?

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

A. Corrosive nature of
acids and alkalis

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

According to their strengths, acids and

alkalis can be classified into
•strong acids
•weak acids
•strong alkalis
•weak alkalis

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Examples of strong acid:

•hydrochloric acid
•sulphuric acid
•nitric acid

Examples of weak acid:

•citric acid
•ethanoic acid
•carbonic acid

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Examples of strong alkali:

•sodium hydroxide
•potassium hydroxide

Example of weak alkali:

•ammonia

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Strong acids can corrode metal, skin and

flesh.
Strong acids in concentrated form
 more corrosive
 more serious damage

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

This cloth is corroded by a

concentrated strong acid.
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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Experiment 9.12 Watch the Expt. video

Demonstration

Corrosive effect of
concentrated strong alkali

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Experiment 9.12 Watch the Expt. video

1. Pour about 150 cm3 of concentrated

sodium hydroxide solution into a beaker
and then put some chicken feet into the
beaker.
• Perform this experiment
in a fume cupboard. chicken feet
• Wear gloves when
handling acids and
alkalis.

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Experiment 9.12 Watch the Expt. video

1. Leave the beaker and its contents in the

fume cupboard for three minutes.

What happens to the chicken feet?

The chicken feet are corroded by the
__________________________________
alkali.
__________________________________

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Experiment 9.12 Watch the Expt. video

2. Some other chicken feet have been soaked

in concentrated sodium hydroxide solution
for two days.

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Experiment 9.12 Watch the Expt. video

2. Stir the solution with a glass rod carefully.

What happens to the

chicken feet?
The flesh and bones break
_______________________
down.
_______________________

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Strong alkalis in concentrated form

 highly corrosive and dangerous
 severe damage to skin and flesh

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

• Strong acids (or alkalis) are more

corrosive than weak acids (or alkalis).
• Acids and alkalis in concentrated
form are more corrosive.

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

B. Proper handling of
household cleaners
containing acids
and alkalis

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Activity 9.8

Studying safety
instructions for chemical
household cleaners

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Activity 9.8
Read the safety instructions for the glass
cleaner and answer the questions that
follow.

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Activity 9.8
Caution
•Keep out of reach of children
•Avoid contact with eyes. If it gets into the eyes, wash
immediately with water and seek medical advice
•If swallowed, take plenty of water and seek medical
advice
•Wear rubber gloves when using
•Use in well ventilated areas
•Do not use or mix together with other household
cleaners or bleaches

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Activity 9.8
1. Why should we use the glass cleaner in
well ventilated areas?
The alkaline vapour is irritating and
___________________________________
corrosive.
___________________________________
2. Why shouldn’t the glass cleaner be mixed
with other household cleaners or
bleaches?
They may react to produce toxic vapours.
__________________________________
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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Read the precautions on the containers

before using household cleaners
containing acids and alkalis.

Use the household cleaners in well

ventilated areas
∵ acidic or alkaline vapour can irritate or
corrode our respiratory tract, skin and
eyes
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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Mixing household cleaners can be

extremely dangerous.
toxic
glass cleaner + bleach
vapours

We should NEVER mix household cleaners!

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Activity 9.9

The dangers of mixing

household cleaners

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Activity 9.9
Read the newspaper clipping below and
answer the questions that follow.

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Activity 9.9
19 April 2011
Accident happened when mixing cleaning products

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Activity 9.9
19 April 2011
Accident happened when mixing cleaning products
Four workers mixed caustic soda (sodium
hydroxide) and bleach in a workplace in Wan Chai
yesterday. An explosion happened and a gas with
caustic vapour was produced when they mixed the
cleaning products. One worker who inhaled too
much vapour died.
(Source: Summary of various newspaper reports)

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Activity 9.9
1. What happened when the workers mixed
the cleaning products?
An explosion happened and a gas with
___________________________________
caustic vapour was produced.
___________________________________
2. What precautions should be taken to
avoid this kind of accident?
Do not mix cleaning products.
__________________________________

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

For household cleaners containing acids

or alkalis in concentrated form
 should be diluted before use

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Diluting concentrated acids or alkalis

mix them with water
a large amount of heat is released
cause splashing out of the acids or
alkalis

We should take safety precautions when

diluting concentrated acids or alkalis.

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Proper procedure for diluting

concentrated acids and alkalis
• Dilute the acid or gloves
alkali in a well
ventilated area.
• Wear safety water
concentrated
goggles and gloves. acid or alkali

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Proper procedure for diluting

concentrated acids and alkalis
• Add concentrated gloves
acid or alkali slowly
to a large amount
of water. concentrated
water
• Stir the solution acid or alkali

continuously and slowly as

you add the acid or alkali.
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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Proper procedure for diluting

concentrated acids and alkalis
• NEVER add water to no gloves
concentrated acids
or alkalis. water
• NEVER dilute the concentrated
acid or alkali with acid or alkali
bare hands.

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

Proper procedure for diluting

concentrated acids and alkalis
• NEVER inhale acidic or no gloves
alkaline vapour from
the acid or alkali. water

concentrated
acid or alkali

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

There are many potential hazards when

handling household cleaners containing
acids and alkalis. We should always read
the safety instructions for the cleaners
before using them.

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

9.6 e-Checkpoint 9.6

True or false

(a) A strong acid can be diluted to F

become a weak acid.
(b) Acids cause severe damage to F
skin while alkalis do not.

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9.5 Potential hazards related to the use of acids and alkalis

9.6 e-Checkpoint 9.6

True or false

(c) Diluting concentrated acids or T

alkalis releases a lot of heat.

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