Acids, Bases and Salts
This section provides an exhaustive look into the characteristics and behaviors of acids, bases, and salts, fundamental concepts in chemistry that play significant roles in both industrial applications and everyday life.
Key Properties of Acids and Bases
- Taste: Acids have a sour taste, while bases are bitter.
- Color Change: Acids turn blue litmus paper red, and bases turn red litmus paper blue. Other indicators like turmeric and synthetic indicators (methyl orange, phenolphthalein) are also discussed.
- Olfactory Indicators: Certain substances change their odor in acidic or basic media, such as onions and vanilla essence.
Reactions with Metals
Acids react with metals to produce hydrogen gas and a salt:
- General Reaction: Acid + Metal → Salt + Hydrogen. For instance, zinc reacting with sulfuric acid.
Reactions with Carbonates
Metal carbonates and hydrogen carbonates react with acids, releasing carbon dioxide and producing salts and water:
- General Reaction: Metal Carbonate + Acid → Salt + Carbon dioxide + Water.
Neutralization Reactions
The reaction of acids and bases results in a neutralization reaction, yielding salts and water:
- General Reaction: Acid + Base → Salt + Water. For example, sodium hydroxide reacting with hydrochloric acid.
Salts and Their Formation
Salts can come from various reactions involving acids and bases. The section discusses the formation and types of salts, their properties, and their significance. Different salts are categorized based on their acidic or basic nature depending on their parent acid and base.
pH Scale
Finally, understanding the pH scale (0-14) is essential for measuring the acidity or alkalinity of solutions. A pH of 7 denotes neutrality, below 7 indicates acidity, and above 7 indicates alkalinity.
Through experiments and real-life examples, this section underlines the importance of acids, bases, and salts in daily activities and industrial processes.