Chapter 12 – Acids and Bases

’O’ Level Chemistry

Chapter 12 – Acids and Bases

Acids
 Substances that produces hydrogen ions in water, H+ (aq). Acids only behave as acids when
they are dissolved in water.
 It is the presence of H+ ions which gives acid its properties. There will be no acidic properties if
they dissolve in organic solvent.
 Common Acids: Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid.
 When dissolved in water, different
acids may form different number of H+ Acid Reaction with water Basicity
ions from one molecule of the acid. Hydrochloric
HCl(g) water
H+(aq) + Cl-(aq) monobasic
- Basicity of an acid: The maximum acid
number of H+ ions produced by a
Sulfuric acid H2SO4(l) water
2H+(aq) + SO42-(aq) dibasic
molecule of an acid
 Acids can be strong or weak.
 A strong acid completely ionises in water.
- Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid.
water
- HNO3 (l) H+ (aq) + NO3- (aq)
 A weak acid partially ionizes in water. Mixture of ethanoic acid,
- E.g. citric acids in fruits, ethanoic acid, carbonic acid. hydrogen ions and
ethanoate ions.
- CH3COOH (aq) H+ (aq) + CH3COO- (aq)
 Note:
- Strong acids does not mean Concentrated acids Strong acids react more
- Weak acids does not mean Dilute acids vigorously than weak acids.

 The strength of acid depends on the extent of ionisation.

 The concentration of acid depends on the amount of solute in the solution.

Bases and Alkalis

 Bases are oxides or hydroxides of metals.
 Some bases are insoluble in water. E.g. copper (II) oxide, iron (II) oxide.
 Alkalis are soluble bases. They form a category of bases. <BUT not all bases are alkalis.>
 Alkalis are substances that produce hydroxide ions in water, OH- (aq).
 Properties of alkali is due to the presence of OH- ions
Base
 A strong alkali completely ionises in water.
Soluble in water?
- E.g. sodium hydroxide
water Yes No
- NaOH (s) Na+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
Alkali Insoluble Base
 A weak alkali partially ionizes in water.

NaOH, KOH, e.g. CuO,

aq. NH3 ZnO, etc.
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 Chapter 12 – Acids and Bases

- E.g. aqueous ammonia

- NH3 (g) + H2O (l) NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq)

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 Chapter 12 – Acids and Bases

Indicators and pH
 Indicators are substances that have different colours in acidic and alkaline solutions.

Indicator Low pH color Transition pH range High pH color

Methyl red red 4.4 – 6.2 yellow
Methyl orange red 3.1 – 4.4 yellow
Bromothymol blue yellow 6.0 – 7.6 blue
Phenolpthalein colourless 8.3 – 10.0 pink

 pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.

 pH scale: 0 – 14 Importance of pH:
 Different pH in the body (pH≈1.5 in
- pH 7 is neutral and this is the pH of pure water stomach acid)
- pH less than 7 is acidic. Solution with lower pH is more acidic and  Using low pH to preserve food (ethanoic
contains more hydrogen ions. acid to preserve vegetables)
 Different plants grow best at different
- pH more than 7 is alkaline. Solution with higher pH is more
pH (most plants grow best at pH 5.6)
alkaline and contains more hydroxide ions.
 Using solutions of different pH on hair
 Measuring pH of a solution: perm or conditioning
- Universal Indicator / pH paper
 Colours of rainbow

Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet

pH: 0 7 14
Most acidic Neutral Most
alkaline
Strong acids Pure water Strong
alkalis
High H+ ion concentration Low H+ ion
concentration Fig. 1: pH scale, acids and alkalis
Low OH- ion concentration High OH- ion
concentration

- pH meter : gives more accurate readings

- pH sensor and computer

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 Chapter 12 – Acids and Bases

Differences in the Physical and Chemical Properties of Acids and Alkalis

Acids Alkalis
 Sour taste  Bitter taste and slippery feel
 Dil. Acids  Irritant  Dil. Alkalis  Irritant
 Conc. acids  Corrosive  Conc. alkalis  Corrosive and burn (caustic)
 Turn blue litmus red  Turn red litmus blue
 pH < 7  pH > 7
 Conducts electricity (electrolytes)  Conducts electricity (electrolytes)
Chemical Properties / Reactions
1. Acid + Reactive Metals  Salt + Hydrogen gas 1. Alkalis + Acids  Salt + Water
2HNO3 (aq) + Ca (s)  Ca(NO3)2 (aq) + H2 (g) NaOH (aq) + HCl (aq)  NaCl (aq) + H2O (l)
Note: Gas test *Neutralisation

2. Acids + Metal Carbonates 2. Alkalis + Ammonium compounds

 Salt + Water + Carbon dioxide gas  Salt + Water + Ammonia gas
2HCl (aq) + CaCO3 (s) KOH (aq) + NH4NO3 (s)
 CaCl2 (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g)  KNO3 (aq) + H2O (l) + NH3 (g)
Note: Gas test Note: Gas test

3. Acids + Metal oxides  Salt + Water

H2SO4 (aq) + CuO (s)  CuSO4 (aq) + H2O (l) 3. Reaction with solutions of metal ions to form a
precipitate. (precipitation reaction)
OR, Acids + Metal hydroxides  Salt + Water
2NaOH(aq) + CuSO4(aq)
H2SO4 (aq) + Cu(OH)2 (s)  CuSO4 (aq) + 2H2O (l)
 Cu(OH)2(s) + Na2SO4(aq)
*Neutralisation
precipitate
4. Acids + Alkalis  Salt + Water
HNO3 (aq) + NaOH (aq)  NaNO3 (aq) + H2O (l) * This reaction is used as a test to identify metal ions.
*Neutralisation

Uses and Applications in Our Lives

 Most important industrial acid: Sulfuric acid
 It is used in manufacture of :
- agricultural fertilizers
- detergents, paints, dyes, plastics  Uses of Alkalis:
 As the acid in batteries for road vehicles - Toothpastes
 Other uses of acids: - Soaps and detergents (weak alkalis e.g. ammonia)
- rust removal (HCl and H2SO4) - Floor and oven cleaners (strong alkalis e.g. NaOH)
- preserve foods - Medicine for indigestion

Note: Acidic foods are stored in glass, plastic or clay.

- Acids do not react with these materials but metal can
react with acids.
- Hence acids are not stored in metal containers.

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 Chapter 12 – Acids and Bases

Ionic Equations
 Equations involve ions in aqueous solution; only those ions formed or changed during the
reaction are included.

NO3- ions are the ‘spectator’

 Example: Acid + Metals  Salt + Hydrogen gas ions. They are not involved in
2HNO3 (aq) + Ca (s)  Ca(NO3)2 (aq) + H2 (g) the reaction and can be
cancelled in the equation.
2H+ (aq) + 2NO3- (aq) + Ca (s)  Ca+ (aq) + 2NO3- (aq) + H2 (g)
2H+ (aq) + Ca (s)  Ca+ (aq) + H2 (g)

 Example: Acids + Metal Carbonates  Salt + Water + Carbon dioxide gas

Exercise 1
Write the ionic equation for the following reaction.
2HCl (aq) + Na2CO3 (aq)  2NaCl (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g)
Solution:
2H+ (aq) + 2Cl- (aq) + 2Na+ (aq) + CO32- (aq)  2Na+ (aq) + 2Cl- (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g)
2H+ (aq) + CO32- (aq)  H2O (l) + CO2 (g)

 Example: Reaction between insoluble ionic compounds and acids

- Acids + Metal oxides or hydroxides  Salt + Water

Exercise 2
Write the ionic equation for the following reaction.
H2SO4 (aq) + CuO (s)  CuSO4 (aq) + H2O (l)
Solution:
2H+ (aq) + SO42- (aq) + CuO (s)  Cu2+ (aq) + SO42- (aq) + H2O (l)
2H+ (aq) + CuO (s)  Cu2+ (aq) + H2O (l)

 Example: Reactions Producing Precipitates Sodium chloride solution

- Mixing two different aqueous solutions (Fig. 2)

Na
Na Cl- + Na Na
+ + Cl- +
Fe2+ Cl-
FeCl2 (aq) + 2NaOH (aq)  Fe(OH)2 (s) + 2NaCl (aq) OH -

OH-
Fe2+ Cl- Fe(OH)2

Ionic Equation: Fe2+ (aq) + 2OH- (aq)  Fe(OH)2 (s) Iron (II) hydroxide ppt
Fig. 2: Mixing aqueous iron (II) chloride and sodium hydroxide

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 Chapter 12 – Acids and Bases

- Iron (II) hydroxide precipitate out of the solution as its insoluble in water.
- Observations: the green solution decolourises and a green precipitate is formed

 Example: Displacement Reactions

- Addition of solid metal to an aqueous solution resulting in the displacement of metal ions from the
solution

Zn (s) + CuSO4 (aq)  ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu (s)

Exercise 3
Write the ionic equation for the reaction above. SO4- ions are the ‘spectator’ ions.
They are not involved in the
Solution: reaction and can be removed to
Zn (s) + Cu2+ (aq) + SO42- (aq)  Zn2+ (aq) + SO42- (aq) + Cu (s) give the ionic equation.
Zn (s) + Cu2+ (aq)  Zn2+ (aq) + Cu (s)

- Zinc is more reactive than copper.

- Hence, zinc has displaced copper from copper (II) sulfate solution.
- Zinc dissolves into the solution and pink copper solid precipitates out from the solution.
Observations: the blue solution becomes colourless and a pink solid

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