ACIDS, BASES AND

SALTS

(NOTES)
ATHULYA THOMAS
HOMEWORK OF CHAPTER 1
SOLVE – :
1) Q- 8 : page 15 (NCERT)
2) Q -12 : page 16 (NCERT)
3) Q- 13 : page 16 (NCERT)
4) Q- 14 :page 16 (NCERT)

IF YOU FIND ANY PROBLEM IN SOLVING ANY

OF THESE THEN LET ME KNOW
 Introduction
• You all know that lemon, tomato, oranges
tastes sour. You also know that all of them
contains citric acid. This is the best natural
example to prove that acids are sour in taste.
• Acids are sour in taste.
• On the other hand you all know that increased
amount of baking soda makes the cake taste
bitter. This is because baking soda is a base
and hence tastes bitter.
• So bases are bitter in taste
When tested on a litmus paper:
• Acids turn the colour of the blue litmus to
red whereas;
• Bases turns the colour of the red litmus to
blue.
 INDICATORS
• Litmus is a natural indicator, turmeric (Haldi) is
an example of natural indicator.
• Litmus is a purple dye obtained from lichens.
• Have you observed stain of curry on white cloth
becomes reddish-brown when soap which is a base
is applied on it .Then it again turns yellow when
the cloth is washed with water.
• Synthetic Indicators : Methyl orange ,
Phenolphthalein are used to test for acids and
bases.
• Indicators tells us whether a substance is acidic or
basic.
OLFACTORY INDICATORS
• There are certain substances whose odour
(smell)changes in acidic or basic solutions. These
substances are called olfactory indicators.
• The olfactory indicators have a characteristics
odour.
• This odour in olfactory indicators is changed in
acidic or basic solution and helps us in
detecting whether a given sample solutions is
acidic or basic in nature.
• An Olfactory indicator is a substance
whose smell varies depending on whether it
is mixed with an acidic or basic solution.
• Olfactory indicators can be used in the
laboratory to test whether a solution is a base
or an acid, a process called olfactory titration.
Onion , clove oil and vanilla extract are
examples.
• Onion has a characteristic smell.
• When a basic solution like sodium hydroxide
solution is added to a cloth strip treated with
onions, then the onion smell cannot be
detected.
• An acidic solution like hydrochloric acid, does
not destroy the smell of onions.(retains smell)
• This is used as a test for acids and bases.
• Vanilla extract has a characteristic pleasant
smell.
• If a basic solution like sodium hydroxide is
added to vanilla extract, then we cannot
detect the characteristic smell of vanilla.
• An acidic solution like hydrochloric acid, does
not destroy the vanilla extract. This is used as
a test for acids and bases.
EXAMPLES OF ACIDS AND
BASES USED IN LAB

ACIDS BASES
HYDROCHLORIC ACID SODIUM HYDROXIDE
( HCl ) ( NaOH )

SULPHURIC ACID CALCIUM HYDROXIDE

( H2SO4 ) [ Ca(OH)2 ]

NITRIC ACID POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE

( HNO3 ) ( KOH )

ACETIC ACID MAGNESIUM HYDROXIDE

( CH3COOH ) [ Mg(OH)2 ]
 Reaction of metals with
acids
• Metals react with acids and displaces hydrogen
from the acids to produce hydrogen gas and
metal salt.
• Acids react with most metals to form a salt
and hydrogen gas.

ACID + METAL → SALT + HYDROGEN GAS

 ACTIVITY 2.3

Brief procedure: Activity 2.3 asks us to react zinc granules with

various acids and observe the flammability of gas formed.
 Observation:
• We see bubbles coming out vigorously with strong
acids. This gas burn when we bring the candle to it.
• Zinc also react with weak acids like acetic acid, but
here gas formation is slow.
Explanation:
• Zinc reacts with acids and forms its salt and
hydrogen gas. Hydrogen gas liberates as the bubble.
• When we bring the flame to this gas, it burns as
hydrogen is highly flammable.
• For example :Zn + H2SO4 ———> ZnSO4 + H2
• Weak acid does not dissociate quickly in water.
So its reaction with zinc is slower as compared to
strong acids like Hydrochloric acid and sulphuric
acid.
• For example: Magnesium reacts with dilute
hydrochloric acid to form magnesium chloride
and hydrogen.
• Magnesium + Hydrochloric acid →
Magnesium chloride + Hydrogen gas
 Reaction of metals with
bases
• Metals react with base to give metal salt and
hydrogen gas.
• Metal like zinc reacts with sodium hydroxide
to produce hydrogen gas. For instance, zinc
reacts with sodium hydroxide to give sodium
zincate.

Base + Metals → Metal salt + Hydrogen gas.

 Reaction of metals with
bases
ACTIVITY 2.4
• Procedure: Activity 2.4 asks us to treat zinc
metal granules with bases like sodium
hydroxide and warm the contents.
• Observation: Bubbles come out from zinc
granule which burns with a flame.
Explanation: Just like a metal reacts with acid
(see Activity 2.3), metal also react to bases
and produce hydrogen gas .
• Here, zinc reacts with sodium hydroxide and
form oxide of zinc with the evolution of
hydrogen gas.
• The reaction is vigorous. So we use dilute
bases to moderate the reaction.

• Zn(s) + 2NaOH(aq) ———-> Na2ZnO2(s) + H2(g)

• Another example is when Aluminium reacts
with Sodium Hydroxide .
 Reaction of metal
carbonates and metal
hydrogen carbonates with
acid
• Metal carbonates are formed by reaction of
metal salt with CO2 or with a carbonate of a
more reactive metal.
 • Metal Hydrogencarbonates are formed by
reaction of metal salt with HCO3 or with a
hydrogencarbonates of a more reactive metal.
• Metal carbonates and Metal
Hydrogencarbonates reacts with acids and
produces corresponding metal salt, carbon
dioxide and water.

Metal carbonates + Acids → Salt + Carbon dioxide + Water.

Metal Hydrogencarbonates + Acids → Salt + Carbon dioxide +

Water.
 EXAMPLE 1
• Let us consider the reaction of Sodium
Carbonate with dilute HCl.
• The reaction proceeds in the following manner.
• Secondly let us consider the reaction of
Sodium Hydrogencarbonate with dilute HCl.
The reaction proceeds as follows.

• Both the reaction produces CO2 which on

passing through lime water turns the lime
water milky due to formation of calcium
carbonate.
 On passing the carbon dioxide gas evolved through the lime
water :

LIME WATER WHITE PRECIPITATE

• On passing excess carbon dioxide following reaction

occurs.
 NOTE :

Metal carbonates / Metal Hydrogencarbonates + Acids

Salt + Carbon dioxide + Water.