7. Acids, Bases and Salts Flashcards
Acids - Properties
- Contain H⁺ ions (protons)
- Soluble in water
- Sour to the taste
- Corrosive
Bases - Properties
- Metal oxides/carbonates/hydroxides
- Some bases are soluble in water (these are called alkalis)
- Soapy to the touch
- Corrosive
Alkalis
A soluble base. (also accept protons from acids)
Acids - What are they
An acid is a substance that gives away (donates) hydrogen (cat)ions (H⁺).
This only happens in a solution with water. H⁺ ions are known as protons.
Acids are therefore called proton donors.
(The donating of protons is what makes a solution acidic –> before being added to water compounds aren’t acidic)
Bases - What are they
A substance that IS ABLE TO recieve /accept hydrogen ions (H⁺) (also known as protons)
Bases contain OH⁻ ions (hydroxides)/ O²⁻ ions (oxides)/ CO3²⁻ (carbonates)
By accepting a H⁺ ion from an acidic solution, the base is neutralised.
Before accepting the protons, the base is a base –> and is corrosive. Afterwards it is neutralised and is thus no longer corrosive.
Indicator
A chemical substance that changes colour depending if it is in the presence of acid or base.
–> Used to identify if a substance is acidic or basic.
Litmus paper –> Use as an indicator
Colour in acid - Red
Colour in neutral solution - Original colour of the litmus paper –> blue/red
Colour in base - Blue
(Litmus paper can either be originally blue or red)
Methyl orange - Use as an indicator
Colour in acid - Red
Colour in neutral substance - Orange
Colour in base - Orange
Thymolphtalein - Use as an indicator
Colour in acid - Colourless
Colour in neutral substance - Colourless
Colour in base - Blue
Universal indicator - Use as an indicator
Strong acid - Red
Weak acid - Orange/yellow
Strong base - Purple
Weak base - Blue
pH scale
A measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions present (used to determine if a substance is acidic or alkaline (basic)
0-6 - Acidic
7 - Neutral
8-14 - Alkaline
(The further out towards the edges, the stronger the acid/alkaline is)
Reaction of (hydrochloric) acid with metal
- Can occur with any metal above hydrogen in the reactivity series.
Acid + metal –> salt + hydrogen
Magnesium + hydrochloric acid –> Magnesium chloride + hydrogen
Reaction of (hydrochloric) acid with a base (Copper (II) oxide)
acid + metal oxide (base) –> salt + water
Copper (II) oxide + hydrochloric acid –> copper chloride + water
(Neutralisation reaction bc any metal oxide is basic, protons in HCl are donated to CuO anion)
Reaction of (hydrochloric) acid with a base (Sodium hydroxide)
acid + base –> salt + water
Sodium hydroxide + hydrochloric acid –> sodium chloride + water
(Neutralisation reaction bc HCl donates protons to OH ions)
Reaction of (hydrochloric) acid with a base (Sodium carbonate)
acid + metal carbonate –> salt + carbon dioxide + water
Sodium carbonate + hydrochloric acid –> sodium chloride + carbon dioxide + water
(Neutralisation reaction bc HCl donates protons to anion base)
Reaction of (hydrochloric) acid with base (ammonia solution)
ammonia solution + hydrochloric acid –> ammonium chloride
Reaction of a (sulphuric) acid with metal
Acid + metal –> salt + hydrogen
Magnesium + sulfuric acid –> magnesium sulfate + hydrogen
Reaction of a (sulfuric) acid with a metal oxide (Copper (II) oxide)
acid + metal oxide (base) –> salt + water
Copper (II) oxide + sulfuric acid –> Copper sulfate + water
(Neutralisation reaction bc metal oxides are basic –> protons in H2SO4 / sulfuric acid are donated to anions in CuO)
Reaction of a (sulphuric) acid with a metal hydroxide
acid + base –> salt + water
Sodium hydroxide + sulfuric acid –> sodium sulfate + water
(Neutralisation reaction –> protons in H2SO4 / sulfuric acid are donated to hydroxide anion)
Reaction of a (sulphuric) acid with metal carbonate
acid + metal carbonate –> salt + carbon dioxide + water
Sodium carbonate + sulfuric acid –> sodium sulfate + carbon dioxide + water
(Neutralisation reaction bc metal carbonates are basic –> protons in H2SO4 / sulfuric acid are donated to anions in Na2CO3)
Reaction of ammonia solution (base) with an acid (sulphuric)
Acid + ammonia –> salt
Ammonia solution + sulfuric acid –> ammonium sulfate
(Neutralisation reaction bc ammonia solution is basic and sulfuric acid is acidic)
NO WATER PRODUCED
How to neutralise an acid
React an acid with a base neautralises it.
eg.
Ammonia + hydrogen chloride –> ammonium chloride
Acid rain (how farmers neutralise the soil)
Acid rain causes many soils to be too acidic for crops to grow.
Farmers must neutralise the soil using lime (calcium oxide - a metal oxide) in a process called liming. The products of this are salt and water, which has a neutral pH.