Acids and Bases

• According the older concept : Acids are those substances which taste sour, are
corrosive to metals, change litmus (a dye extracted from lichens) red, release
hydrogen when reacts with metals, release carbon dioxide when react with
carbonate or bicarbonates and become less acidic when mixed with bases.
• Bases are those substances which feel slippery, change red litmus to blue, bitter in
taste and become less basic when mixed with acids.
• In the late 1800s, the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius suggested that acids are
compounds that contain hydrogen and can dissolve in water to release hydrogen
ions into solution. For example, hydrochloric acid (HCl) dissolves in water as follows:
• HCl + H2O → H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
• Arrhenius defined bases as substances that dissolve in water to release hydroxide
ions (OH-) into solution. For example, a typical base according to the Arrhenius
definition is sodium hydroxide (NaOH):
• NaOH + H2O → Na+(aq) + OH-(aq)
 Indicators
• Indicators are those substance which change their colour in acidic or basic
medium. By changing their colour they indicate whether the given substance
is acidic or basic.

Olfactory indicators : The substances which change their smell in acidic or basic
medium are called olfactory indicators E.g. Onion, Vanilla and clove. Onion, clove
and vanilla retain their smell acidic medium but smell completely vanish in basic
medium.
 How acids and bases react with metals?
• Acids react with metals to form salt and hydrogen gas.
Acid + metal  Salt + Hydrogen
Zn + H2SO4 ZnSO4 + H2
• Hydrogen gas will not be evolved when :
• Metal is less reactive than hydrogen.
• The acid is dilute HNO3 because nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent, it will oxidize the
evolved hydrogen into water and itself get reduced to any of the oxide of nitrogen.
• Metals like Mg and Mn can release hydrogen gas with very dilute nitric acid, because
they have very strong affinity for oxygen than hydrogen.
• Test of Hydrogen : Bring a burning candle or splinter near the mouth of the test tube.
The evolved gas burns with pop sound.
• Bases also react with some metals to release hydrogen, but this reaction is not possible
with all metals.
2NaOH(aq) + Zn(s)  Na2ZnO2(s) + H2(g)
 Reaction of acids with metal
carbonate/bicarbonate
• Acid react with metal carbonate or bicarbonate to form salt, water and
carbon dioxide.

• Test of CO2 : Pass the evolved gas through freshly prepared lime water, it will turn milky because
of the formation of calcium carbonate. On passing excess of CO2 through the solution the
milkiness disappear due to the formation of calcium bicarbonate.
 Reaction of acid and base.
• Acid and bases react with each other to form salt and water. In this reaction
acid and base neutralize the effect of each other hence it is known as
neutralization reaction.

• Take phenolphthalein in To the solution add Add few drops of acid to Again add few drops of
a test tube. few drops of NaOH. the solution. The color of base to the solution. The
The color of solution the solution become color of the solution again
change to pink. colorless. changes to pink.
 Other type of neutralization reaction
• Metal oxide + Acid  Salt + Water
• Metal oxide react with acid to form salt and water, because metallic
oxide are basic in nature.
• MgO + HCl  MgCl2 + H2O
• ZnO + H2SO4  ZnSO4 + H2O
• Non-metal oxide + Base  Salt + Water
• Non-metallic oxide react with base to form salt and water, because
non-metallic oxide are acidic in nature.
• CO2 + Ca(OH)2  CaCO3 + H2O
Activity : What is common in acidic and basic solution?
• Take solutions of glucose, alcohol,
hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, etc.
• Fix two nails on a cork, and place the cork in a
100 mL beaker. Connect the nails to the two
terminals of a 6 volt battery through a bulb and a
switch, as shown in Fig.
• Now pour some dilute HCl in the beaker and
switch on the current.
• Repeat with sodium hydroxide, glucose and
alcohol.
• Observation : The bulb will glow in case of
acid or base but the bulb will not glow in case of
alcohol or glucose.
• Conclusion : Acidic and basic solution
contain ions( H+ or OH-) for the conduction of
electricity but alcohol and glucose solution
does not contain any ions.
What happens to acid or base in aqueous solution?

This experiment suggests that hydrogen ions in HCl are produced in the presence of water. The separation of H+
ion from HCl molecules cannot occur in the absence of water.
HCl + H2O  H3O+ + Cl–
Hydrogen ions cannot exist alone, but they exist after combining with water molecules. Thus hydrogen ions must
always be shown as H+(aq) or hydronium ion (H3O+).
H+ + H2O  H3O+
We have seen that acids give H3O+ or H+(aq) ion in water.
What happens when a base is dissolved in water. Base dissociate to form hydroxyl ion when dissolved in water.
NaOH(s) + H2O  Na+ (aq) + OH– (aq)
 Dilution
• The process of adding water to acid or base is known as dilution.
• During dilution of acid, water should never be added
to acid but acid should be added to water drop by
drop with constant stirring. Because the process of
adding water to acid is highly exothermic. The heat
evolved is so large that it may break the test tube or
may splash the content out of the test tube which
may harm the user.
• Mixing an acid or base with water results in
decrease in the concentration of ions (H3O+/OH–)
per unit volume.
• How is the concentration of hydronium ions (H3O+) affected when a solution of an acid is diluted?
• How is the concentration of hydroxide ions (OH–) affected when excess base is dissolved in a
solution of sodium hydroxide?
 How strong an acidic or basic solution?
• The strength of an acid or base can de determined by using pH indicator.
• pH stands for the power of the concentration
of hydronium (H3O+) ions in an aqueous solution.
It is negative logarithm of base 10 of hydrogen ion
concentration.
• Solutions with pH less than 7 are acidic.
• Solutions with pH more than 7 are basic.
• A solution with a pH=7 is considered neutral.
• Universal indicators are mixtures of several
different pH indicators that extend the pH range
over which they operate.
 Importance of pH in everyday life.
• Importance of pH for farmer : Soil pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a soil. Soil pH is
important because it influences several soil factors affecting plant growth, such as (1) soil bacteria,
(2) nutrient leaching, (3) nutrient availability, (4) toxic elements, and (5) soil structure. Plant
nutrients are generally most available to plants in the pH range 5.5 to 6.5.
• If the soil become too acidic lime or dolomite is used to increase the pH. If the soil become too
basic, than farmer leave earthworm in the soil because they excrete acidic substance.
• Importance of pH for milkman : Fresh milk is slightly acidic with pH early 6.5. When the milk
change into curd its pH decreases. Milkman add baking soda to the milk so that it remain fresh fof
a long time. It will also increase settling time of milk.
• pH in our digestive system : The HCl in the stomach helps in the digestion of protein. When there
is excessive secretion of acid in the stomach, this condition is called acidity. To neutralize the
excess of acid, we use mild base such as milk of magnesia, baking soda.
• pH in tooth decay : When the pH of the mouth reduces to below 5.5. The acid in the mouth
corrode tooth enamel, which is the hardest substance of our body. It will lead to the tooth decay. To
neutralize this acid we use toothpaste which is basic in nature.
• Self defense by animal and plants : Honey bee and red ant release methanoic acid with their
sting. To get relief we use mild base. Wasp release base with the sting, hence to get relief we use
mild acid such as lemon juice or vinegar.
 Salts
• Salt are the product of the reaction of acid and base.
• Acid + Base  Salt + water
• Strong acid + Strong base  Neutral salt
• Strong acid + Weak base  Acidic salt
• Weak acid + Strong base  Basic salt
• HCl + NaOH  NaCl + H2O
• CH3COOH + NaOH  CH3COONa + H2O
• Ethanoic acid Sodium ethanoate
• HCl + NH4OH  NH4Cl+ H2O
• HydrochloricAmmonium Ammonium
acid hydroxide chloride
 Sodium hydroxide (Caustic soda)
NaOH
Preparation of NaOH
When electricity is passed through an aqueous solution of sodium
chloride (called brine), it decomposes to form sodium hydroxide. The
process is called the chlor-alkali process because of the products formed–
chlor for chlorine and alkali for sodium hydroxide.

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

Chlorine gas is given off at the anode, and hydrogen gas at the cathode.
Sodium hydroxide solution is formed near the cathode.

Hydrogen : Chlorine :
It is used as fuel in rockets. It is used in the preparation of
It is used in the preparation of HCl, PVC and CFC.
ammonia. It is used to disinfectant of water.
It is used in hydrogenation of It is used in paper and textile
vegetable oil to make vanaspati industry.
ghee.
In the preparation of HCl.
Calcium oxy chloride (Bleaching powder)
CaOCl2
 Sodium carbonate decahydrate
(Washing Soda) Na2CO3 .10 H2O
• How Washing Soda is produced?
• Firstly, a cold and concentrated sodium chloride solution is reacted with ammonia and carbon
dioxide to obtain sodium hydrogen carbonate. The sodium hydrogen carbonate is slightly soluble
in water, so it precipitates out as solid.
NaCl +NH3 +CO2 +H2O → NaHCO3 +NH4Cl
• Secondly, now sodium hydrogen carbonate is separated by filtration, dried and heated. On
heating sodium hydrogen carbonate decomposes to form sodium carbonate. This anhydrous
sodium carbonate is known as soda ash.
2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 +H2O +CO2
• Thirdly, anhydrous sodium carbonate or soda ash is dissolved in water and recrystallised to
get washing soda crystals containing 10 molecules of water of crystallisation.
Na2CO3 + 10H2O → Na2CO3.10H2O
Washing Soda
• Uses : Washing Soda is used as cleansing agent for domestic purposes like washing
clothes. It is used for removing permanent hardness of water. It is used in the manufacture
of glass, soap and paper. It is used in paper, textile, soap, and detergent industries.
 Sodium hydrogencarbonate (Baking
Soda) NaHCO3
• How Baking Soda is produced?
• Firstly, a cold and concentrated sodium chloride solution is reacted with
ammonia and carbon dioxide to obtain sodium hydrogen carbonate. The
sodium hydrogen carbonate is slightly soluble in water, so it precipitates out as
solid.
• NaCl +NH3 +CO2 +H2O → NaHCO3 +NH4Cl
• Secondly, now sodium hydrogen carbonate is separated by filtration, dried and
heated.
• When sodium hydrogen carbonate is heated it decomposes to form sodium
carbonate, water and carbon dioxide.
 Uses of Baking Soda.
• (i) For making baking powder, which is a mixture of baking soda (sodium
hydrogencarbonate) and a mild edible acid such as tartaric acid. When
baking powder is heated or mixed in water,
the following reaction takes place –
• NaHCO3 + H+  CO2 + H2O + Sodium salt of acid
• (From any acid)

• Carbon dioxide produced during the reaction can cause bread or cake to
rise making them soft and spongy.
• (ii) Sodium hydrogencarbonate is also an ingredient in antacids. Being
alkaline, it neutralises excess acid in the stomach and provides relief.
• (iii) It is also used in soda-acid fire extinguishers.
• NaHCO3 + H2SO4  Na2SO4 + CO2 + H2O
 Calcium sulphate hemihydrate (Plaster
of Paris) CaSO4.1/2 H2O
• When gypsum is heated at 373 K it loses one and half molecule of water and
form gypsum.

• When water to POP it again form gypsum, in the form of hard solid mass.

• Uses of POP : It is used to settle fractured bone. It is also used to make