Acids, Bases and Salts

DELTA Plus CSEC Chemistry

Acids, bases and salts

 Indicators
 An indicator is a chemical that changes colour in acidic,
alkaline and neutral solutions.
 Some common indicators include red litmus paper, blue
litmus paper, phenolphthalein, and methyl orange.
 Acidic Neutral Basic

Red litmus paper red red blue

Blue litmus paper red blue blue

Phenolphthalein colourless colourless pink

Methyl orange red orange yellow

Blue litmus paper changes to red in acids Red litmus paper changes to blue in alkalis
Acids, Bases and Salts

 Many chemicals are acidic, neutral or

alkaline.
 We can distinguish one from another using
indicators.
 Acidity and alkalinity are measured on the
pH scale.
 A salt is formed when an acid is neutralised
by an alkali.
The pH scale
The pH scale measures a solution’s acidity or
alkalinity. The range for the pH scale is 0
(strong acid) to 14 (strong alkali).
pH 0 – 2: strong acid
pH 3 – 6: weak acid
pH 7: neutral
pH 8 – 11: weak alkali
pH 12 – 14: strong alkali
Universal Indicator

 Universal indicator solution or paper turns a range of colours, depending on the strength of the
acid or alkali.
 Acids and Bases
 An acid is a substance that produces hydrogen ions, H+(aq), when dissolved in water.
 The higher the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution, the lower the pH.
 An alkali is a substance that produces hydroxide ions, OH-(aq), when dissolved in
water.
 Strong acids completely ionise in water. They break up completely to produce a
high concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution.
 For example, hydrochloric acid ionises completely into hydrogen and chloride ions:
 HCl(aq) → H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
 Strong acids include:
 hydrochloric acid
 sulfuric acid
 nitric acid
 Acids and Bases
 Strong alkalis completely ionise in water. They break up
completely to produce a high concentration of hydroxide ions in
the solution.
 For example, sodium hydroxide ionises completely into sodium and
hydroxide ions:
 NaOH(aq) → Na+(aq) + OH-(aq)
 Strong alkalis include:
 sodium hydroxide
 potassium hydroxide
 Acids and Bases
 Weak acids only partially ionise in water. Only a small fraction of
their molecules break into hydrogen ions when added to water.
 For example, ethanoic acid is a weak acid.
 CH3COOH(aq) ⇌ H+(aq) + CH3COO-(aq)
 The ‘reversible arrow’ (⇌) indicates a reversible reaction.
 Weak alkalis only partially ionise in water. Only a small fraction of
their molecules break into hydroxide ions when added to water.
 For example, ammonia is a weak alkali:
 NH3(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ NH4+ (aq) + OH-(aq)
 The ‘reversible arrow’ (⇌) indicates a reversible reaction.
Acids and Bases
 Dilute and concentrated solutions
 A concentrated acid contains a large number of acid particles dissolved per
unit volume.
 A dilute acid contains a small number of acid particles dissolved per unit
volume.
Neutralisation

 Neutralisation is the reaction between the hydrogen ions in an

acid and the hydroxide ions in an alkali to produce water. The
ionic equation for neutralisation is:
 H+(aq) + OH-(aq) → H2O(l)
 Neutralisation is an exothermic reaction – one in which heat is
given out. The maximum temperature is reached when the acid
solution is completely neutralised by the alkali.
 Acids and bases
 A base is a metal oxide or metal hydroxide that neutralises an
acid to produce a salt and water. An alkali is a soluble base.
All alkalis are bases, but only soluble bases are alkalis.
 Reactions of acids
 Some general observations can be made during acid reactions:
 if a gas is produced, the observations is ‘bubbles’.
 if a solid such as a solid metal, base or carbonate reacts with
the acid then the observation is ‘solid disappears and a solution
is produced’.
 most acid reactions are exothermic – the observation is ‘heat
released’. Exceptions – copper(II) oxide and sodium
hydrogencarbonate with acid.
 It is useful to know the colour of some compounds commonly
reacted with acids to work out if a colour change has occurred.
Substance Colour

copper(II) oxide black solid

copper(II) carbonate green solid

hydrated copper(II) sulfate blue crystals

copper(II) salts in solution blue solution

white solids – if they dissolve in water they give

group 1, group 2, aluminium and zinc compounds
colourless solutions
Reaction of acids
 1. Acid reactions with metals
 Acids react with metals to produce a salt and hydrogen.
 acid + metal → salt + hydrogen
 Example:
 hydrochloric acid + magnesium → magnesium chloride + hydrogen
 2HCl(aq) + Mg(s) → MgCl2(aq) + H2(g)
 Observations: grey solid magnesium disappears, colourless solution
produced, heat released, bubbles.
 The hydrogen in these reactions can be tested. The test for hydrogen is:
 apply a lighted splint
 a popping sound results
 2. Acid reactions with bases
 Acids react with bases to form a salt and water.
 acid + base → salt + water
 Example:
 sulfuric acid + copper(II) oxide → copper(II) sulfate + water
 H2SO4(aq) + CuO(s) → CuSO4(aq) + H2O(l)
 Observations: black solid copper(II) oxide disappears, blue
solution produced.
 3. Acid reactions with carbonates and
hydrogencarbonates
Acids react with metal carbonates and hydrogencarbonates in the same
way.
 These reactions produce salt, water and carbon dioxide.
 acid + carbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide
 acid + hydrogencarbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide
 Example - carbonate:
 hydrochloric acid + copper(II) carbonate → copper(II) chloride + water +
carbon dioxide
 2HCl(aq) + CuCO3(s) → CuCl2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)
 Observations:
 green solid copper(II) carbonate disappears, blue solution produced, heat
released, bubbles.
 Example - hydrogencarbonate:
 hydrochloric acid + sodium hydrogencarbonate → sodium
chloride + water + carbon dioxide
 HCl(aq) + NaHCO3 (s) → NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)
 Observations:
 solid white sodium hydrogencarbonate disappears, colourless
solution produced, bubbles.
 The carbon dioxide gas produced in these reactions can be
tested. The test for carbon dioxide is:
 bubble gas into colourless limewater (calcium hydroxide solution)
 the solution will change from colourless to milky if the gas is
carbon dioxide
4. Acid reactions with ammonia
 Acids react with ammonia to form a salt.
 acid + ammonia → ammonium salt
 Example:
 sulfuric acid + ammonia → ammonium sulfate
 H2SO4(aq) + 2NH3(g) → (NH4)2SO4(aq)
 Salts
A salt is a compound formed when some or all the
hydrogen ions in an acid are replaced by metal ions or
ammonium ions.
 For example,
 zinc sulfate is the salt formed when zinc ions replace the
hydrogen ions of sulfuric acid.
 Most group 1 (I), group 2 (II), aluminium and zinc salts are
white.
 They produce colourless solutions when dissolved in water.
 Transitionmetal salts generally produce coloured solutions
when dissolved in water.
Preparing soluble salts
A pure, dry sample of a soluble salt can be
prepared in two ways.
 Method one
 add excess insoluble substance (base) to warm
acid
 filter off excess base
 evaporate filtrate to half volume
 cool to allow crystals to form
 filter off the crystals
 Method two
 add alkali to acid, or vice versa, in the presence of an indicator
until the indicator changes colour
 repeat the process without the indicator, or remove the indicator
using charcoal
 evaporate the solution to half volume
 cool to allow crystals to form
 filter off the crystals
 You can dry the crystals by placing it in a desiccator, in a low
temperature oven, or between two sheets of filter paper.
 Safety
 You should always take care in the laboratory, but strong acids and alkalis are
particularly dangerous. Take care with chemicals carrying CLP/GHS international
chemical hazard labelling.