ACIDS,BASES
AND SALTS
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Acids
• Acid can be defined in various ways.
• An acid is a substance which forms hydrogen ions, (H+(aq)), when dissolved in water.
e.g. HCl (g) + H2O(l) H+ (aq) + Cl-(aq)
Hydrogen + water hydrogen ions + chloride ions
chloride
An acid is a proton (H+ ion) donor.
It provides protons or H+ ions. Hydrogen ions will be present in the form of hydronium
ions (H3O+ions) in aqueous solutions.
eg. HCl (aq) H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
Hydrochloric when H+ GIVEN TO WATER IT BECOMES (H3O+ ions).
•
acid
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
• Concentrated acids are corrosive.
• have a sour taste.
• have a pH below 7.
• turn blue litmus red.
PROPRTIES OF • are electrolytes, because in solution, they are
ionic and therefore conduct electricity.
ACIDS
Examples: Sulfuric acid H2SO4,
Nitric acid HNO3,
Hydrochloric acid HCl
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Types of acids
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Strong &Weak acids
• Strong acids ph 1-2
• Acids that are completely ionised to produce protons or hydrogen ions
when dissolved in water. E.g, sulfuric acid.
• H2SO4(aq) 2H+(aq) + SO42-(aq)
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Strong &Weak acids
• Weak acids ph 3-6
• Acids that are only partially ionised to produce protons or hydrogen ions when dissolved in water.
E.g, ethanoic acid (acetic acid) commercially known as vinegar.
•
• CH3COOH(aq) H+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)
•
• The sign means that the reaction is reversible.
• The strong acids will give red colour with universal indicator and weak acids will give yellow colour.
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Common strong and weak acids
Strong Acids Weak Acids
Hydrochloric acid HCl Carbonic acid H2CO3
Nitric acid HNO3 Ethanoic acid CH3COOH
Sulfuric acid H2SO4 Sulfurous acid H2SO3
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Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Reactions of
acids
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With metals
acid + metal salt + hydrogen (except copper, silver and gold)
The metal dissolves, bubbles are seen and a solution of the salt forms whose colour
depends on the metal used.
Examples:
Chemical Equation Ionic Equation
Mg(s) + H2SO4(aq) MgSO4(aq)+H2(g) Mg(s) + 2H+(aq) Mg2+(aq) + H2(g)
Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g) Zn(s) + 2H+ (aq) Zn2+(aq) + H2(g)
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Chemistry Cambridge OL Dr. Amira Ahmed
With carbonates:
acid + carbonate salt + water + carbon dioxide
Acids react with metal carbonates or hydrogen carbonates to form salt, water
and carbon dioxide.
Solid carbonates dissolve, bubbles are seen and an aqueous solution of the salt
forms.
Examples:
Chemical Equation Ionic Equation
CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) CaCl2(aq)+ H2O(l) + CO2(g) CaCO3(s) + 2H+ Ca2+ +H2O +
CO2
NaHCO3(aq)+ HNO3(aq) NaNO3(aq) + CO2(g) + HCO3- + H+ CO2(g) + H2O(l)
H2O(l)
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
With bases
acid + base salt + water
Bases are compounds that react with acid to give only a salt and water.
Metal oxides and hydroxides are bases.
➢ Acids react with metal oxides and metal hydroxides (insoluble bases) to
form salt and water. In most cases, the acid needs warming.
The solid dissolves and a solution of the salt forms. No bubbles are seen as there
is no gas produced.
Examples
Chemical Equation Ionic Equation
CuO(s) + 2HNO3(aq) Cu(NO3) 2 (aq) + H2O(l) CuO(s) + 2H+(aq) Cu2+(aq) + H2O(l)
ZnO(s) + H2SO4(aq) ZnSO4(aq) + H2O(l) ZnO(s) + 2H+ (aq) Zn2+(aq) +H2O(l)
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Acids react with metal hydroxides
(soluble bases: alkalis) to form salt and water.
With alkalis there are no observations as a colourless solution is produced from
two colourless solutions.
Examples:
Chemical Equation Ionic Equation
NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) OH-(aq) + H+(aq) H2O(l)
Ca(OH)2(aq) + 2HNO3(aq) Ca(NO3)2(aq) +2H2O(l) 2OH-(aq) + 2H+(aq) 2 H2O(l)
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
The pH scale
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
pH Scale: The strength of an acid or alkali
• The pH scale is a number scale which shows the relative acidity and alkalinity of a solution in water. pH is an
abbreviation for power of the hydrogen. The numbers go from 0 to 14. The lower the pH value, the larger
the concentration of hydrogen ions, and so the stronger is the acid.
• The greater the pH value, the larger the concentration of hydroxide ions and so the stronger is the alkali.
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
Chemistry Cambridge OL [Link] Ahmed
