Class10 CHAPTER – 2

ACIDS, BASES AND SALTS ( Notes)

❑
Acids Bases
– Sour in taste – Bitter in taste
– Change the blue litmus to red – Change red litmus to blue
– eg. Hydrochloric Acid HCl eg. Sodium hydroxide NaOH
– SulphuricAcidH2SO4 Potassium hydroxide KOH
– NitricAcidHNO3 Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2
– Acetic Acid CH3 COOH – AmmoniumhydroxideNH4OH
❑ Some Naturally occuring acids
Vinegar – Acetic Acid
Orange – Citric Acid
Lemon – Citric Acid
Tamarind – Tartaric Acid
Tomato – Oxalic Acid
Sour milk (Curd) – Lactic Acid
Ant and Nettle sting – Methanoic Acid (Formic acid)
❑ Acid – Base Indicators – Indicate the presence of an acid or base in a
solution.
❑ Litmus solution – It is a natural indicator. It is a purple day extracted from
Lichens. Other examples are Red Cabbage and coloured petals of
Petunia and turmeric.

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❑ Olfactory indicators – Show odour changes in acidic or basic media. eg.
onion and clove.
❑ Acid – Base Indicators
S. No. Name of the Colour Change Colour Change
Indicator With Acid with Base

A. Blue litmus solution To red No change

B. Red litmus solution No change To blue
C. Turmeric No change To red
D. Methyl orange To red To yellow
E. Phenolphthalein No change To pink
(colourless)
❑ Dilute Acid : Contains only a small amounts of acid and a large amount of
water.
❑ Concentrated Acid : A concentrated acid contains a large amount of acid
and a small amount of water.
❑ Chemical Properties of Acids and Bases
→
Acid + Metal Salt + Hydrogen
(Refer activity 2.3 on page No. 19 of NCERT Book)
→
2HCl + Zn ZnCl2 + H2
2HNO3 + Zn → Zn (NO3)2 + H2

H2SO4 + Zn → ZnSO4 + H2

2CH3COOH + Zn → (CH3COO)2 Zn + H2
❑ Pop test : When a burning candle is brought near a test tube containing
hydrogen gas it burns with a ‘Pop’ sound. This test is conducted for
examining the presence of hydrogen gas.

❑ Base + Metal → Salt + Hydrogen

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 NaOH + Zn → Na2ZnO2 + H2
Sodium Zincate
Note – Such reactions are not possible with all the metals.
❑ Action of Acids with metal Carbonates and metal bicarbonates

Metal Carbonate + Acid → Salt + Carbon dioxide + Water

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

Metal bicarbonate + Acid → Salt + Carbon dioxide + Water

NaHCO3 + HCl → NaCl + CO2 + H2O

❑ Lime water Test (Test for CO2) : On passing the CO2 gas evolved through
lime water,

Ca(OH)2 (aq) + CO2(g) → CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)

Lime water White precipitate
If we passing excess CO2for long time milkiness disappears because Calcium
hydrogen carbonate will form is soluble in water.
On passing excess CO2 the following reaction takes place

CaCO3(s) + H2O(l) + CO2(g) → Ca(HCO3)2 aq

Soluble in water
❑ Neutralisation Reactions

Base + Acid → Salt + Water

NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)

Neutralisation reaction takes place when the effect of a base is

nullified by an acid and vice versa to give salt and water.

❑ Reactions of metal oxides with acids

Metal Oxide + Acid → Salt + Water

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 CuO + HCl → CuCl2 + H2O
Copper oxide Hydrochloric Copper + Water
acid chloride

Note : Appearance of blue green colour of the solution because of

formation of CuCl2.
Metallic oxides are said to be basic oxides because they give salt and
water on reacting with acids.
❑ Reaction of Non Metallic Oxide with Base

Non metallic oxide + Base → Salt + Water

Ca(OH)2 + CO2 → CaCO3 + H2O
Note : Non Metallic oxides are said to be acidic in nature because on
reacting with a base they produce Salt and Water.
❑ All acidic solutions conduct electricity
Refer activity 2.3 on page 22 of NCERT Book
– Glowing of bulb indicates that there is a flow of electric current
through the solution.
❑ Acids or bases in a Water Solution
Acids produce H+ ions in the presence of water

HCl + H2O → H3O+ + Cl¯

H3O+ – Hydronium ion.

– H+ion cannot exist alone. It exists as H+(aq) or (H3O+) hydronium

ion.

H+ + H2O → H3O+

– Bases provide (OH–) ions in the presence of water

NaOH(s) H2O
→ Na+(aq) + OH–(aq)

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 KOH(s) H2O
→ K+(aq) + OH–(aq)

Mg(OH)2(s) H2O
→ Mg2+(aq) + 2OH–(aq)
❑ Alkalis

All bases do not dissolve in water. An alkali is a base that dissolves in

water.
Common alkalis are
NaOH Sodium hydroxide
KOH Potassium hydroxide
Ca(OH)2 Calcium hydroxide
NH4OH :Ammonium hydroxide
Note : All alkalis are bases but all bases are not alkalis.
❑ Precaution must be taken while mixing acid or base with water. The acid
must always be added to water with constant stirring. Otherwise heat
generated may cause the mixture to splash out and cause burn. The
container may also break due to excessive local heating. It is highly
exothermic reaction.
When an acid or a base is mixed with water they become dilute. This
results in the decrease in the concentration of H3O+ or OH– per unit
volume in acids and bases respectively.
❑ Strength of an Acid or Base
Strength of acids and bases depends on the no. of H+ ions and OH–ions
produced respectively.
With the help of a universal indicator we can find the strength of an acid
or base. This indicator is called PH scale. pH = Potenz in German means
power.
This scale measures from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline) 7 Neutral
(water in Neutral).
pH paper : Is a paper which is used for measuring PH.

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 Variation of PH
S. pH Colour of the Nature of H+ ion OH–ion
No. Value pH Paper Solution Conc. Conc.
1. 0 Dark red Highly acidic Very high very low
2. 4 Orange or yellow Acidic high low
3. 7: Green Neutral Equal Equal
4. 10 Bluish green or blue Alkaline low high
5. 14 Dark blue or violet Highly basic very low very high
+
– Strong Acids give rise to more H ions.

eg. HCl, H2SO4 and HNO3.

– Weak Acids give rise to less H+ ions eg.

CH3 COOH, H2 CO3 (Carbonic acid)

– Strong Bases – Strong bases give rise to

more OH– ions. eg. NaOH, KOH,

Ca(OH)2

– Weak Bases : give rise to less OH– ions.

eg. NH4OH
❑ More about Salts
Salts and their derivation
S. No. Name of Salt Formula Derived from Derived
from
1. Potassium Sulphate K2SO4 KOH H2SO4
2. Sodium Sulphate Na2SO4 NaOH H2SO4
3. Sodium Chloride NaCl NaOH HCl
4. Ammonium Chloride NH4Cl NH4OH HCl

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 Note : NaCl and Na2 SO4 belong to the family of sodium salts as they
have the same radicals. Similarly NaCl and KCl belong to the family of
chloride salts.
Importance of pH in our daily life
❑ Importance of pH in our digestive system – pH level of our body regulates
our digestive system. In case of indigestion our stomach produces acid in
a very large quantity because of which we feel pain and irritation in our
stomach. To get relief from this pain antacids are used. These antacids
neutralises the excess acid and we get relief.
❑ pH of Acid Rain : When pH of rain water is less than 5.6 it is called Acid
Rain. When this acidic rain flows into rivers these also get acidic, which
causes a threat to the survival of aquatic life.
❑ pH of Soil : Plants require a specific range of pH for their healthy growth. If
pH of soil of any particular place is less or more than normal than the
farmers add suitable fertilizers to it.
❑ Our body functions between the range of 7.0 to 7.8 living organisms can
survive only in the narrow range of pH change.
❑ Tooth decay and pH : Bacteria present in the mouth produce acids by
degredationofsugarandfoodparticlesremaininginthemouth.Usingtoothpas
te which is generally basic can neutralise the excess acid and prevent
tooth decay.
❑ Bee sting or Nettle sting contains methanoic acid which causes pain and
irritation. When we use a weak base like baking soda on it we get relief.
Neutral Salts : Strong Acid + Strong base pH
value is 7
eg. NaCl, CaSO4
Acidic Salts : Strong Acid + weak base pH
value is less than 7
eq. NH4Cl, NH4 NO3
Basic Salts : Strong base + weak acid pH
value is more than 7

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 eg.
CaCO3, CH3COONa
❑ Chemicals from Common Salt
– Sodium chloride is called as common salt used in our food. It is
derived from seawater.
– Rock Salt is the brown coloured large crystals. This s mined like coal.
– Common Salt is an important raw material for many materials of daily
use such as.
Sodium Hydroxide
Washing Soda
Bleaching Power.
❑ Sodium Hydroxide

Preparation : Prepared by the method called chlor-alkali

Called chlor-alkali because we get chlorine and a base in this.

2NaCl(aq) + 2H2O(l) 2NaOH(aq) + Cl2(g) + H2(g)

❑ Bleaching Power

Preparation → Ca(OH)2 + Cl2 → CaOCl2 + H2 O

calcium hydroxide chlorine
bleaching water
power

uses in textile, factories and laundry, used as disinfectant (Learn from

Text book)
❑ Baking Soda

– Common name – Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate

Preparation
NaCl + H2O + CO2 + NH3 → NH4Cl + NaHCO3
Sodium Chloride Water Carbon dioxide Ammonia Ammonium Chloride Sodium hydrogen
carbonate
On heating NaHCO3 produces :

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 →
Heat
NaHCO3 Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2

CO2 produced causes dough to rise and make cakes, pastries spongy.
Uses : In household, ingredients of antacid
In making baking power
On heating baking powder produces

NaHCO3 + H+ CO2 + H2O + Sodium Salt of acid

❑ Washing Soda

Preparation : Recrystallization of sodium carbonate

Na2CO3 + 10H2O →Heat Na2CO3. 10H2O

Uses
– Used in glass, soap and paper industry – Cleaning agent for
domestic purposes.
– Removal of hardness of water. – Manufacture of borax.
❑ Water of crystallisation : Fixed no. of water molecules present in one
formula unit of a salt.
– On heating copper sulphate crystals water droplets appear, formula
of hydrated copper sulphate – CuSO4. 5H2O.
– gypsum also contains water of crystallisation.
– Formula of gypsum – CaSO4.2H2O

– On heating gypsum at 373k it becomes CaSO4.½H2O is Plaster of

Paris.
– Plaster of Paris is used as plaster for fractured bones.
– When plaster of Paris is mixed with water it changes to gypsum.

CaSO4.½ H2O + 1½ H2O CaSO4.2H2O

Uses of plaster of Paris : Making toys, decorative material and smooth

surfaces.

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