1 ACID:
Substances with sour taste are regarded as avoids. Lemon juice, vinegar, grape fruit juice and spoilt milk
etc. taste sour since they are acidic. Many substances can be identified as acids based on their taste but
some fo the acids like sulphuric acid have very strong action on the skin which means that they are
corrosive in nature. In such case it would be according to modern definition-
An acid may be defined as a substance which release one or more H+ ions in aqueous solution.
Acids are mostly obtained from natural sources. One the basis of their source avids are of two types -
(a) Mineral acids (b) Organic acids
1 (a) Mineral Acids:
Acids which are obtained from rocks and minerals are called mineral acids.
1 (b) Organic Acids:
Acids which are present in animals and plants are known as organic acids. A list of commonly used acids
along with their chemical formula and typical uses, is given below -
Name Type Chemical Formula Where found or used
Carbonic acid Mineral acid H2CO3 In soft drinks and lends fizz, In stomach as
gastric juice, used in tanning industry
Nitric acid Mineral Acid HNO3 Used in the manufacture of explosives. (TNT,
Nitroglycerine) and fertilizers (Ammonium
nitrate, Calcium nitrate, Purification of Au,
Ag.)
Hydrochloric Mineral Acid HCI In purification of common salt, in textile
acid industry as bealching agent, to make aqua
regia mixture of Hu2HNO3 in ration of 3 : 1
Sulhuric acid Mineral Acid H2SO4 Commonly used in car batteries, in the
manufacture of fertilizers (Ammonium
sulphate, super phosphate) detergents etc, in
paints, plastics, drugs, in manufacture of
artificial silk, in petroleum refining.
Phosphoric acid Mineral Acid H3PO4 Used I antirust paints and in fertilizers.
Formic acid Organic Acid HCOOH(CH2O2) Found in the stings of ants and bees, used in
tanning leather, in medicines for treating
gout disease of jointly.
Acetic acid Organic Acid CH3COOH(C2H4O2) Fount in vinegar used a solvent in the
manufacture of dyes and perfumes.
Lactic acid Organic Acid CH3CH(OH)COOH(C3H6O3) Responsible for souring of milk in curd.
Benzoic acid Organic Acid C6H5COOH Used as a food preservation.
Critic acid Organic Acid C6H8O Present in lemons, oranges and citrus fruits.
1 (c) Chemical Properties of Acids:
1. Action with metals: Dilute acids like dilute HCI and dilute H2SO4 react with certain active metals to
evolve hydrogen gas.
2Na(s) + 2HCI (dilute) 2NaCI(aq) + H2 (g)
Mg(s) + H2SO4 (dilute) MgSO4 (aq) + H2(g)
Metals which can displace hydrogen from dilute acids are known as avtive metals. e.g. Na, K, Zn, Fe, Ca,
Mg etc.
Zn(s) + H2SO4 (dilute) ZnSO4(aq) + H2(g)
The active metals which lie above hydrogen in the activity series are electropositive in nature. Their atoms
lose electrons to form positive ions and these electrons are accepted by H+ ions of the acid. As a result, H2
is evolved.
For e.g.
Zn(s) Zn2+ (aq) + 2e-
ZH+(aq) + SO42-(aq) + 2e- H2 (g) + SO42- (aq)
Zn(s) + 2H+ (aq) Zn++(aq) + H2(g)
2. Action with metal oxides : Acids react with metal oxides to form salt and water. These reactions are
mostly carried out upon heating.
For e.g.
ZnO(s) + 2HCI(aq) ZNCI2(aq) + H2O ( )
MgO(s) + H2SO4(aq) MgSO4(aq) + H2O ( )
CuO(s) + 2HCI(dil.) CuCI2(aq) + H2O ( )
(Block) (Bluish green)
3. Action with metal carbonates and metal bicarbonates : Both metal carbonates and bicarbonates
react with acids to evolve CO2 gas and form salts.
For e.g.
CaCO3(s) + 2HCI(aq) CaCI2(aq) + H2O ( ) + CO2(g)
2NaHCO3(s) + H2SO4(aq) Na2SO4(aq) + H2O(aq) + CO2(g)
Sodium Sodium
bicarbonate sulpahte
4. Action with bases : Acids react with bases to give salts and water.
HCI + NaOH
NaCI + H2 O
1 (d) Strong and Weak Acids :
(i) Strong acids : Acids which are completely ionised in water are known as strong acids.
For e.g.
Hydrochloric acid (HCI), sulphuric acid (H2SO4), nitric acid (HNO3) etc. are all strong acids.
HCI + H+(aq)
Water + CI-(aq)
H2SO4 + 2H+(aq)
Water + SO42-(aq)
(ii) Weak acids: Acids which are weakly ionised in water are known as weak acids.
For e.g.
Carbonic acids (H2CO3), phosphoric acid (H3PO4), formic acid (HCOOH), acetic acid (CH3COOH) are
weak acids.
CH3COOH + Water CH3COO-(aq) + H+ (aq)
In general MINERAL acids are STRONG acids while ORGANIC acids are
WEAK acids.
2 Base :
Substances with bitter taste and soapy touch are regarded as bases. Since many bases like sodium
hydroxide and potassium hydroxide have corrosive action on the skin and can even harm the body, so
according to the modern definition -
a base may be defined as a substance capable of releasing one or more OH- ions in aqueous solution.
2 (a) Alkalies :
Some bases like sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide are water soluble. These are known as
alkalies.
lies. Therefore water soluble bases are known as alkalies eg. KOH, NaOH. A list of a few typical bases
along with their chemical formulae and uses is given below-
below
Name Commercial Chemical Uses
Name Formula
In manufacture of soap, paper, pulp, rayon, refining of
Sodium hydroxide Caustic Soda NaOH petroleum etc.
In alkaline storage batteries, manufacture of soap,
Potassium hydroxide Caustic Soda
S KOH absorbing CO2 gas etc.
In manufacture of bleaching powder softening of hard
Calcium hydroxide Slaked lime Ca(OH)2 water etc.
Magnesium hydroxide Milk of Magnesia Mg(OH)2 As an antacid to remove acidity from stomach
Aluminum hydroxide - Al(OH)3 As foaming agent in fire extinguishers.
In removing greases stains from cloths and in
Ammonium hydroxide - NH4OH cleaning window panes.
2 (b) Chemical Properties :
1. Action with metals : Metals like zinc, tin and aluminum react with strong alkalies like NaOH (caustic
soda), KOH (caustic potash) to evolve hydrogen gas.
Zn(s) + 2NaOH(aq) Na2ZnO2(aq) + H2(g)
Sodium zincate
Sn(s) + 2NaOH(aq) Na2SnO2(aq) + H2(g)
Sodium stannite
2AI(s) + 2NaOH + 2H2O 2NaAIO2(aq) + 3H2(g)
Sodium meta aluminate
2. Action with non-metallic oxides: Acids react with metal oxides, but bases react with oxides of non-
metals to form salt and water.
For e.g.
2NaOH(aq) + CO2(g) Na3CO3(aq) + H2O ( )
Ca(OH)2(s) + SO2(g) CaSO3(aq) + H2O ( )
Ca(OH)2(s) + CO2(g) CaCO3(s) + H2O ( )
2 (c) Strong and Weak Bases :
(i) Strong base : A base contains one or more hydroxyl (OH) groups which it releases in aqueous
solution upon ionisation. Bases which are almost completely ionised in water, are known as strong bases.
For e.g.
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (OH) groups which it releases in aqueous solution upon
ionisation. Bases which are almost completely ionised in water, are known as strong bases.
NaOH(s) + Water Na+ (aq) + OH-(aq)
KOH(s) + Water K+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
Both NaOH and KOH are deliquescent in nature which means that they absorb moisture from air and get
liquefied.
(ii) Weak bases : Bases that are feebly ionised on dissolving in water and reduce a low concentration of
hydroxyl ions are called weak bases.
eg. Ca(OH)2, NH4OH
3 CONDUCTING NATURE OF ACID AND BASE SOLUTIONS :
Acids are the substances which contain one or more hydrogen atoms in their molecules which they can
release in water as H+ ions. Similarly, bases are the substances which contain one or more hhydroxyl groups
in their molecules which they an release in water as OH- ions. Since the ions are the carries of charge
therefore, the aqueous solutions of both acids and bases are conductors of electricity.
Experiment :
In a glass beaker, take a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid (HCI). Fix two small nails of iron in a rubber
cork in the beaker as shown in the figure. Connect the nails to the terminals of a 6 volt battery through a
bulb. Switch on the current and bulb willwill start glowing. This shows that the electric current has passed
through the acid solution. As the current is carried by the movement of ions, this shows that is solution HCI
has ionised to give H+ and CI- ions. Current will also be in a position to pass if the beaker contains in it
dilute H2SO4 (H+ ions are released in aqueous solution). Similarly, aqueous solutions containing NaOH or
KOH will also be conducting due to release of OH- ions.
Bulb will not glow if glucose (C6H12O6) or ethyl alcohol (C2H6O) solution is kept in the beaker. This
means that both of them will not give any ions in solution.
4.4 COMPARISON BETWEEN PROPERTIES OF ACIDS AND BASES :
Acids Bases
1. Sour in taste. 1. Bitterness in taste.
2. Change colours of indicators et.
et 2. Change coloursurs of indicators eg, litmus
turns from red to blue, phenolphthalein
Litmus turns from blue to red, furns from colourless to pink.
phenolphthalein remains 3. Shows electrolytic conductivity in
colourless. aqueous solutions.
3. Shows electrolytic conductivity 4. Basic properties disappear when reacts
in aqueous solution. with acids (Neutralisation).
5. No decomposition of carbonate saltsalts by
4. Acidic properties disappear when bases.
reacts with bases
(Neutralisation).
5. Acids decompose carbonate salts.
