Acids & Bases

Chapter 10
April 2005
Examples of some uses of
acids
 In food e.g.
 Citric acid & ascorbic acid – health (anti-oxidants)
 Ethanoic acid – vinegar for taste & preservative
 Carbonic acid – fizzy drinks
 Lactic acid – in milk
 In industry e.g.
 Hydrochloric acid – cleaning, etching
 Sulphuric acid – batteries, fertilisers, detergents…
 Nitric acid – fertilisers, cleaning
Defining an acid
Some common acids Ions produced in solution
 HCl hydrochloric acid H+ Cl−
 HNO nitric acid H+ NO3−
3

 H2SO4 sulphuric acid 2H+ SO42−

Less common acids (weak ones)

 H CO carbonic acid
2 3

 CH3COOH ethanoic acid 2H+ CO32−

H +
CH COO
An acid is a substance that produces H ions in solution
+ 3
−
Pure acids
Pure acids are small covalent molecules,
e.g. HCl, H2SO4

H2O + −
H Cl H + Cl

Acids behave as acids only when they are dissolved

in water – formation of H+ ions in aqueous
solutions
Strong vs. weak acids split
up
Strong acids completely dissociate in water,
e.g. HCl, HNO3, H2SO4

H2O + −
H Cl H + Cl

100% 100%

*Nearly all acid molecules dissociate to form ions.

 Strong vs. weak acids
Weak acids only partially dissociate in water,
e.g. carbonic acid H2CO3 & vinegar CH3COOH

CH3COOH → CH3COO− + H+
100% 0.5%

* In 1000 molecules of vinegar, only about 4 molecules

dissociate into ions. The rest 996 molecules remain
as molecules!
* This is the reason why we can consume them!
Concentrated = Strong?
 E.g. consider concentrated ethanoic acid
(vinegar)

 Concentrated means lots of acid molecules

but little water → few H+ ions

 So concentrated ≠ strong
 E.g. concentrated vinegar
 And strong ≠ concentrated
 E.g. dilute HCl
Questions:
Which conducts electricty better?
Concentrated or dilute sulphuric
acid?
Why?

Citric acid, a white solid can be

dissolved in both organic solvents
as well as inorganic solvents. Why?
Reactions of acids
(usually these are used as tests for acids)

 Acids + metals
 Acids + carbonates

 Acids + bases

hydroxides metal oxides

 1st
Acid + metal
hydrochloric acid + magnesium → magnesium
chloride + hydrogen gas

Acid + metal → salt + H2

2HCl(aq) + Mg(s) → MgCl2(aq) + H2(g)

• Effervescence of a gas is observed.
• Gas gives a ‘pop’ sound with a
lighted/burning splint
1st
Acid + metal (cont’d)
Only reactive metals react, such as those from
Group I, II & III metals and some transition
metals.

Copper, silver and gold are examples of

unreactive metals.

back
 2nd
Acid + carbonate
hydrochloric acid + magnesium carbonate →
magnesium chloride + carbon dioxide gas +
water

Acid + carbonate → salt + CO2 + water

2HCl(aq) + MgCO3(s) → MgCl2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)

• Effervescence of a gas is observed.
• Gas gives a white precipitate with back
limewater.
 Metal hydroxide
3 rd
Metal oxide
Acid + base
hydrochloric acid + magnesium hydroxide →
magnesium chloride + water

hydrochloric acid + magnesium oxide →

magnesium chloride + water

Acid + base → salt + water

2HCl(aq) + Mg(OH)2(aq) → MgCl2(aq) + 2H2O(l)
Neutralisation reaction
2HCl(aq) + MgO(s) → MgCl2(aq) + H2O(l)
back
 Metal hydroxide
Metal oxide
Bases
Bases

Metal hydroxide Metal oxide

Insoluble Soluble Soluble Insoluble

e.g. Cu(OH)2, water e.g. Na2O,
e.g. NaOH, e.g. MgO,
Fe(OH)3 KOH, Ca(OH)2 K2O, CaO CuO, PbO

alkalis
Common alkalis
NaOH Na+, OH−
KOH K+, OH−
Ca(OH)2 Ca2+, 2OH−
Ba(OH)2 Ba2+, 2OH−

Which gas turns damp red litmus to blue?

NH3(g) + H2O(l) → NH4+(aq) + OH−(aq) (NH4OH)

OH− ion and alkalis
 OH− hydroxide ion
 This ion makes the substance alkaline

Acid + Alkali → Salt + Water (Neutralisation)

H+(aq) + OH−(aq) → H2O(l)

Shows what actually reacts in a chemical

Ionic equation reaction
• ions not featured in the ionic equation
do not take part in the chemical reaction
(spectator ions)
 Another reaction of alkalis

heat
Alkali + Ammonium salt → Salt + H2O + ammonia

that is:
heat
NaOH(aq) + NH4Cl(s) → NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) + NH3(g)
Neutralisation only involves H+
and OH− ions HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq)

Na+ and Cl−

Cl− Na+ ions remain
Na + H +
H+ OH− as ions in
Na+
Na+
H+ OH− H+ solution
OH− Cl− Same state as
H+ Na +
Na+
Cl−
OH−
Cl−
when they
H+
OH− Cl− Na+ Cl− are in HCl
Na+
H+ OH− and NaOH
OH− H+
Cl −
Cl−
OH −
Constructing ionic equations Sincl2.mov

- must always include state symbols

H2SO4(aq) + NaOH(aq) → Na2SO4(aq) + H2O(l)

AgNO3(aq) + NaCl(aq) → AgCl(s) + NaNO3(aq)

2HCl(aq)+ Na2CO3(aq) → 2NaCl(aq)+ CO2(g) + H2O(l)

H2SO4(aq) + CuO(s) → CuSO4(aq) + H2O(l)

Quick Check
Fe + H SO → FeSO + H Page 175
 Use of OH− ions to identify cations
Reaction with NaOH Reaction with NH4OH
Ca2+ White ppt insoluble in excess No rxn
NaOH
Al3+ White ppt soluble in excess White ppt insoluble in excess
NaOH NH4OH
Pb2+ White ppt soluble in excess White ppt insoluble in excess
NaOH NH4OH
Zn2+ White ppt soluble in excess White ppt soluble in excess
NaOH NH4OH
Cu2+ Blue ppt insoluble in excess NaOH Blue ppt soluble in excess NH4OH
to give a deep blue solution
Fe2+ Dirty-green ppt insoluble in excess Dirty-green ppt insoluble in
NaOH excess NH4OH

Fe3+ Reddish-brown ppt insoluble in Reddish-brown ppt insoluble in

excess NaOH excess NH4OH
NH4+ NH3 gas produced on warming No rxn
that turns damp red litmus to blue
 Use of OH− ions to identify cations
Reaction with NaOH Reaction with NH4OH
Sincl2.mov

Ca2+ White2+
ppt insoluble in− excess No rxn
Ca
NaOH + 2OH → Ca(OH)2
Al3+ White
3+ppt soluble in−excess White ppt insoluble in excess
Al
NaOH + 3OH → Al(OH) NH43OH
Pb2+ White2+
ppt soluble in excess White ppt insoluble in excess
Pb
NaOH + 2OH → Pb(OH)
−
NH4OH2
Zn2+ White2+
ppt soluble in excess White ppt soluble in excess
Zn
NaOH + 2OH → Zn(OH)
−
NH4OH2
Cu2+ Blue ppt
2+ insoluble in excess NaOH Blue ppt soluble in excess NH4OH
Cu + 2OH → Cu(OH)
−
to give2a deep blue solution
Fe2+ Dirty-green ppt insoluble
− in excess Dirty-green ppt insoluble in
Fe
NaOH
2+
+ 2OH → Fe(OH) excess2 NH4OH

Fe3+ Reddish-brown ppt insoluble in Reddish-brown ppt insoluble in

Fe 3+
+ 3OH → Fe(OH)
excess NaOH
−
excess
3 NH4OH
NH4+ NH3 gas + produced on
− warming No rxn
NH + OH → NH + H O
4 damp red litmus to blue 3
that turns 2
 more alkaline
10 11 12 13 14

Liquid drain cleaner

tells H+ and OH− ion concentration

Bleach, oven cleaner

pH scale for Universal indicator

Soapy water, detergents

Ammonia solution
Milk of magnesia
Baking soda, toothpaste

9
Sea water, blood

8
7
Pure water, e.g. distilled water
Urine, saliva, rain water

6
Soft drinks, fizzy drinks, coffee

5
Tomato juice, acid rain

4
Orange juice, grapefruit

3
more acidic
Lemon juice, vinegar

2
Hydrochloric acid secreted by stomach

1
Battery acid, Hydrofluoric acid

0
 pH indicators
 Expected to know the colour changes for
methyl orange and screened methyl orange
acid neutral alkaline
screened
purple grey green
methyl orange
peach
methyl orange red yellow
orange
phenolphthalein colourless colourless pink
bromothymol
yellow - blue
blue
 Redlit2.mov
Testsol2.mov

Other pH indicators Bluelit2.mov

 Litmus papers – detects acidity or alkalinity only. Acialkb2.mov

 pH meters – measures the exact pH value directly

and electronically.
Controlling pH in soils
 Excess acidity in soils
causes crops not to
grow well (usually grow
well only under slightly
acidic – neutral pH 6-7
conditions)
H2SO4 + Ca(OH)2 →
 Caused by acid rain.
can be
CaSO4 + 2H2O
neutralised by

Slaked lime – calcium hydroxide

Quick lime – calcium oxide
H2SO4 + CaO →
CaSO4 + H2O
Extension….
Magnesium oxide and calcium carbonate are
both used in indigestion tablets to neutralise
the excess acids in our stomach.

Which do you think will have less side effects?

Why?

Sodium hydroxide neutralises HCl more

readily, wouldn’t this be more effective
then?