A.
Acids, Bases, and Indicators
1. (c) A medical technologist adds Mg to three acids: HCl, H₃PO₄, and
CH₃COOH. Strong bubbling occurs with HCl, moderate with H₃PO₄, and
weak with CH₃COOH. What does this demonstrate?
a) Weak acids react faster than strong acids
b) All acids ionize completely in water
c) The strength of acid determines reaction rate with metals
d) Metals react the same with all acids
2. (a) A beaker of distilled water left uncovered shows a pH of 6.0 after an
hour. Why?
a) CO₂ from the air dissolved, forming H₂CO₃
b) O₂ made the solution acidic
c) H₂ gas escaped from the solution
d) Dust contaminated the water
3. (b) Tap water often shows a slightly basic pH (7.5–8). Which compound
explains this?
a) HCl from pipes
b) Bicarbonates and carbonates
c) Dissolved sulfur oxides
d) Strong bases like NaOH
4. (a) A nurse uses pH paper to test a gastric aspirate. The strip turns bright
red. This means:
a) The solution is highly acidic
b) The solution is neutral
c) The solution is weakly basic
d) The reading is invalid
5. (a) Which test is more reliable for exact pH measurement?
a) Universal pH paper
b) Red and blue litmus paper
c) Both equal in accuracy
d) None of the above
B. Buffer Systems
6. (a) In a CH₃COOH/CH₃COONa buffer, what happens when HCl is added?
a) CH₃COO⁻ binds H⁺, minimizing pH drop
b) CH₃COOH completely neutralizes HCl
c) HCl dissociates freely, lowering pH sharply
d) The buffer has no effect
7. (c) In the same buffer, what happens if NaOH is added?
a) OH⁻ immediately raises the pH
b) H⁺ from CH₃COOH makes it neutral
c) CH₃COOH donates H⁺ to neutralize OH⁻
d) No reaction occurs
8. (a) Why is the bicarbonate buffer system critical in blood?
a) It resists large pH changes by balancing H₂CO₃ and HCO₃⁻
b) It neutralizes all acids in the body
c) It removes all CO₂ from circulation
d) It prevents hemoglobin from binding O₂
9. (b) A patient hyperventilates and expels excess CO₂. What happens to
blood pH?
a) Decreases (acidosis)
b) Increases (alkalosis)
c) Remains the same
d) Becomes neutral
10. (a) Which component acts as the base in the bicarbonate buffer system?
a) HCO₃⁻
b) H₂CO₃
c) CO₂
d) H⁺
C. Hydrolysis of Salts
11. (a) A solution of NH₄Cl has pH < 7. Why?
a) NH₄⁺ hydrolyzes, releasing H⁺
b) Cl⁻ hydrolyzes, releasing OH⁻
c) Both ions hydrolyze equally
d) NH₄Cl is neutral
12. (b) Which salt solution is basic?
a) NH₄Cl
b) Na₂CO₃
c) AlCl₃
d) FeCl₃
13. (a) Why is AlCl₃ acidic in water?
a) Al³⁺ hydrolyzes, releasing H⁺
b) Cl⁻ reacts with water to form OH⁻
c) AlCl₃ is neutral in water
d) It forms Al(OH)₃ precipitate only
14. (b) A NaCl solution shows pH ~7. Why?
a) Na⁺ reacts with water
b) Neither Na⁺ nor Cl⁻ hydrolyzes
c) Cl⁻ releases OH⁻ ions
d) Na⁺ forms NaOH in water
15. (a) Why is Na₃PO₄ strongly basic?
a) PO₄³⁻ reacts with H₂O to form OH⁻
b) Na⁺ reacts with H₂O
c) Na₃PO₄ is neutral
d) Cl⁻ is present
D. Acid-Base Titration Concepts
16. (c) Which indicator is best for strong acid vs strong base titration?
a) Methyl orange
b) Phenolphthalein
c) Both can be used
d) Litmus only
17. (a) Why is phenolphthalein not suitable for strong acid–weak base
titration?
a) The equivalence point is below pH 7
b) It turns color too early
c) It reacts with the base
d) It is destroyed by acid
18. (b) A titration curve of acetic acid vs NaOH shows a slow initial pH rise.
Why?
a) NaOH is weak
b) CH₃COOH is weak, partially ionized
c) Buffering doesn’t occur
d) NaOH reacts incompletely
19. (a) A strong base titrated with strong acid shows an equivalence point at:
a) pH 7
b) pH < 7
c) pH > 7
d) Cannot be determined
20. (b) A weak acid titrated with a strong base shows equivalence point at:
a) pH 7
b) pH > 7
c) pH < 7
d) Neutral always
E. Clinical/Applied Situations
21. (b) A patient with uncontrolled diabetes has ketoacidosis. Which buffer
helps resist dangerous pH drops?
a) Protein buffer
b) Bicarbonate buffer
c) Phosphate buffer
d) Hemoglobin buffer
22. (c) Why does hemoglobin act as a buffer in blood?
a) It binds CO₂
b) It only carries O₂
c) Its histidine residues bind H⁺
d) It neutralizes NaOH
23. (b) During strenuous exercise, lactic acid builds up. Which buffer system
mainly resists acidosis in muscle?
a) Bicarbonate
b) Phosphate
c) Protein
d) NH₄⁺
24. (a) A patient’s urine shows variable pH. Which buffer dominates here?
a) Phosphate buffer
b) Bicarbonate buffer
c) Hemoglobin buffer
d) Protein buffer
25. (b) A medtech accidentally adds excess HCl to a bicarbonate buffer.
Which species increases?
a) OH⁻
b) H₂CO₃
c) HCO₃⁻
d) CO₃²⁻
F. Practical Observations
26. (a) In a Biuret test, why does violet color appear?
a) Cu²⁺ binds peptide bonds
b) Cu²⁺ reacts with amino acids individually
c) Only free amines cause the color
d) All proteins dissolve
27. (b) Why does egg albumin coagulate when boiled?
a) It dissolves better at high temp
b) Heat denatures proteins, causing aggregation
c) It reacts with salts in water
d) Peptide bonds break completely
28. (a) Gelatin dissolves in hot water but not cold. Why?
a) Heat disrupts hydrogen bonds
b) Gelatin is insoluble in all water
c) Hot water creates new peptide bonds
d) Cold water hydrolyzes gelatin
29. (c) Why is casein insoluble in water but soluble in NaOH?
a) Casein is hydrophilic
b) NaOH denatures proteins completely
c) Alkali forms sodium caseinate (soluble salt)
d) Water removes peptide bonds
30. (a) Which test best distinguishes proteins from amino acids?
a) Biuret test
b) Ninhydrin test
c) Xanthoproteic test
d) Millon’s test
G. Salt Solutions & pH
31. (a) 0.1 M NaCl has pH ~7 because:
a) Neither Na⁺ nor Cl⁻ hydrolyzes
b) Na⁺ forms NaOH
c) Cl⁻ forms HCl
d) Both ions are basic
32. (b) 0.1 M Na₂CO₃ has pH > 7 because:
a) Na⁺ is basic
b) CO₃²⁻ reacts with water, forming OH⁻
c) Carbonate forms carbonic acid
d) Na₂CO₃ is neutral
33. (a) 0.1 M NH₄Cl has pH < 7 because:
a) NH₄⁺ hydrolyzes into H⁺
b) Cl⁻ hydrolyzes into OH⁻
c) Both hydrolyze equally
d) NH₄Cl is neutral
34. (c) Which salt is acidic in solution?
a) NaCl
b) Na₂CO₃
c) AlCl₃
d) K₂SO₄
35. (b) Why does Na₃PO₄ solution turn pH paper blue?
a) Na⁺ reacts with water
b) PO₄³⁻ produces OH⁻ ions
c) Na₃PO₄ is neutral
d) It releases H⁺
H. Higher-Order Situations
36. (c) A patient is given IV sodium bicarbonate. Why?
a) To increase acidity
b) To buffer against alkalosis
c) To treat metabolic acidosis
d) To release CO₂
37. (a) Why is H₂CO₃ considered a weak acid?
a) It partially dissociates
b) It fully ionizes
c) It releases OH⁻ ions
d) It’s unstable in blood
38. (b) A buffer has pKa = 4.7. At pH = 4.7, what is the ratio of base to acid?
a) 1:2
b) 1:1
c) 2:1
d) 10:1
39. (c) Why can proteins act as buffers?
a) They release CO₂
b) They release H₂O
c) Their side chains can accept or donate H⁺
d) They are neutral molecules
40. (a) Which amino acid is most important in protein buffering?
a) Histidine
b) Glycine
c) Alanine
d) Proline
I. Clinical Buffering & Pathophysiology
41. (b) Respiratory acidosis is caused by:
a) Excess O₂
b) Retention of CO₂
c) Excess NH₄⁺
d) Hyperventilation
42. (a) Metabolic alkalosis may result from:
a) Prolonged vomiting (loss of HCl)
b) Diabetes mellitus
c) CO₂ retention
d) Exercise
43. (c) In renal compensation for acidosis, the kidneys:
a) Excrete more HCO₃⁻
b) Reabsorb more H⁺
c) Excrete more H⁺ and conserve HCO₃⁻
d) Do nothing
44. (a) Hyperventilation (panic attack) leads to:
a) Respiratory alkalosis
b) Respiratory acidosis
c) Metabolic alkalosis
d) Metabolic acidosis
45. (c) Which organ mainly regulates bicarbonate levels?
a) Lungs
b) Liver
c) Kidneys
d) Stomach
J. Application Questions
46. (a) Why is vinegar sour and acidic?
a) It contains CH₃COOH
b) It contains NaOH
c) It contains carbonates
d) It contains proteins
47. (b) Why is soap basic?
a) It contains proteins
b) It contains salts of fatty acids
c) It contains amino acids
d) It contains acids
48. (c) Why is seawater alkaline?
a) It contains NaCl only
b) It contains strong acids
c) It contains carbonates and bicarbonates
d) It contains proteins
49. (a) Why is gastric juice strongly acidic?
a) It contains HCl
b) It contains NaOH
c) It contains CO₂
d) It contains NH₄Cl
50. (c) Why is the blood pH range (7.35–7.45) critical?
a) Because enzymes are not affected by pH
b) Because slight changes have no effect
c) Because enzyme activity and protein structure depend on narrow pH range
d) Because H⁺ does not matter
