Acids
Acids are a group of chemical substances that...
- are corrosive (they 'eat away' / disintegrate certain materials)
- taste sour
- acids only form acidic solutions when dissolved in water
- can neutralise bases forming a salt in the process
- always contain at least one Hydrogen atom
- have a pH of less than 7
Acids will dissociate (split) when dissolved in water
They release H+ ions that make the solution acidic
Common Acids:
H2SO4 - Sulphuric Acid (Strong / Mineral Acid)
HCl - Hydrochloric Acid (Strong / Mineral Acid)
HNO3 - Nitric Acid (Strong / Mineral Acid)
CH3COOH - Ethanoic Acid / Acetic Acid / Vinegar (Weak / Organic Acid)
Citric Acid (Weak / Organic Acid)
Tartaric Acid (Weak / Organic Acid)
Bases
Bases are a group of chemical substances that...
- are caustic (they 'eat away' / disintegrate certain materials)
- taste bitter and have a slippery feel
- can neutralise acids forming a salt in the process
- have a pH of more than 7
All bases will remove H+ ions from solution
Common Bases:
NaOH - Sodium Hydroxide (Strong)
Ca(OH)2 - Calcium Hydroxide (Strong)
NH4OH - Ammonium Hydroxide (Weak)
NH3 - Ammonia (Weak)
NaHCO3 - Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate / Sodium Bicarbonate / Baking Soda (Weak)
CaCO3' - Calcium Carbonate / Limestone / Marble (Weak)
Alkalis
A base that can dissolve in water is called an Alkali
Alkalis will dissociate (split) when dissolved in water.
They release OH- ions that make the solution more basic