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Acid & Alkalis Note+ Exercise

The document discusses the definitions, physical properties, and chemical properties of acids and alkalis, including their behavior in water and examples from daily life. It explains the pH scale, the use of Universal Indicator for identifying acidity or alkalinity, and outlines three types of chemical reactions involving acids. Additionally, it includes revision questions to reinforce understanding of the material covered.

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charlottelauyee
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29 views5 pages

Acid & Alkalis Note+ Exercise

The document discusses the definitions, physical properties, and chemical properties of acids and alkalis, including their behavior in water and examples from daily life. It explains the pH scale, the use of Universal Indicator for identifying acidity or alkalinity, and outlines three types of chemical reactions involving acids. Additionally, it includes revision questions to reinforce understanding of the material covered.

Uploaded by

charlottelauyee
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Acids And Alkalis

In this article, the following are the objectives that will be discussed.
• Define acids.
• Describe the physical properties of acids.
• Define alkalis.
• Describe the physical properties of alkalis.
• Understand the use of the Universal Indicator.
• Describe the chemical properties of acids.

Acids
Acids are substances which dissociate into H+ ions when dissolved in water.
Here are some examples of acids in our daily life:
• orange juice
• vinegar
• cola drinks

Here are some acids that are commonly found in the laboratory:
• hydrochloric acid
• sulfuric acid
• nitric acid

Here are the physical properties of acids:


• They taste sour due to the presence of proton ions in the solution.
• They have a pH lower than 7.
• They turned blue litmus paper red.
• When acids are dissolved in water, they are able to conduct electricity.

Alkalis
Alkalis are the substances which dissociate into OH- (hydroxide) ions when dissolved in water.
Here are some examples of alkalis in our daily life:
• toilet cleaner, soap
• baking soda
• ammonia
Here are the physical properties of alkalis:
• They taste bitter and feel soapy.
• They have a pH greater than 7.
• They turned red litmus paper blue.
• They are conductors of electricity.
pH Level
The pH level indicates how acidic or alkaline a solution is.
• It ranges from 0 to 14, with 0 being the most acidic, 7 being neutral and 14 being the
most alkaline.
• If the pH level of a substance falls between 4 to 6, it is considered a weak acid.
• If the pH level of a substance falls between 0 to 3, it is considered a strong acid.
• If the pH level of a substance falls between 8 to 10, it is considered a weak alkali.
• If the pH level of a substance falls between 11 to 14, it is considered a strong alkali.

Universal Indicator
The Universal Indicator helps in the identification of whether a substance is acidic, neutral, or
alkaline. Due to the colour changes of the Universal Indicator, it enables one to determine the
pH of the substance.

• A neutral substance will cause the Universal Indicator to remain green.


• A substance that is weakly acidic will cause the Universal Indicator to change from green
to orange/yellow.
• A substance that is strongly acidic will cause the Universal Indicator to change from
green to red.
• A substance that is weakly alkaline will cause the Universal Indicator to change from
green to blue
• A substance that is strongly alkaline will cause the Universal Indicator to change from
green to violet.

Chemical properties of Acids


Acids can undergo three chemical reactions:
1). acid + alkali → salt + water
Example:
nitric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium nitrate + water
hydrochloric acid + calcium hydroxide → calcium chloride + water
sulfuric acid + potassium hydroxide → potassium sulfate + water

2). acid + metal → salt + hydrogen


(Not all metals can react with acids. Unreactive metals, such as copper, silver and gold, do not
react with acids.)
Example:
nitric acid + aluminium → aluminium nitrate + hydrogen
hydrochloric acid + zinc → zinc chloride + hydrogen
sulfuric acid + magnesium → magnesium sulfate + hydrogen
• Testing for the presence of hydrogen gas: Place a lighted splint at the mouth of the test
tube. If hydrogen gas is present, the lighted splint extinguishes with a ‘pop’ sound.
3). acid + carbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide
Example:
nitric acid + calcium carbonate → calcium nitrate + water + carbon dioxide
hydrochloric acid + zinc carbonate → zinc chloride + water + carbon dioxide
sulfuric acid + copper(II) carbonate → copper(II) sulfate + water + carbon dioxide
• Testing for the presence of carbon dioxide gas: Bubble the gas into limewater. If carbon
dioxide gas is present, a white precipitate will be observed.

Revision Questions
Here are some questions for us to look into on the objectives of this article.

Question 1:
Determine whether this statement is true or false.
“Acidic and alkaline solutions taste sour”.
1. true
2. false

Question 2:
Determine whether this statement is true or false.
“Acidic and alkaline solutions are conductors of electricity”.
1. true
2. false

Question 3:
Which of the following substances is acidic?
1. baking soda
2. vinegar
3. soap
4. toilet cleaner

Question 4:
Which of the following substances is not acidic?
1. lime juice
2. cola drink
3. yoghurt
4. baking soda
Question 5:
Which of the following are the characteristics of acids?
1. Their pH is lower than 14.
2. They conduct electricity.
3. They cannot react with alkali.
4. They taste bitter.

Question 6:
Which of the following is the characteristics of alkalis?
1. They cannot conduct electricity.
2. They are tasteless.
3. They turn blue litmus paper red.
4. They can react with acids.

Question 7:
What is the colour of the Universal Indicator in nitric acid?
1. blue
2. purple
3. red
4. yellow

Question 8:
Which of the following represents the word equation of acid reacting with alkali?
1. acid + alkali → hydrogen + water
2. acid + alkali → salt + water
3. acid + alkali → salt + water + hydrogen
4. acid + alkali → salt + water + carbon dioxide

Question 9:
Which of the following represents the word equation of acid reacting with carbonate?
1. acid + carbonate → hydrogen + water
2. acid + carbonate → salt + water
3. acid + carbonate → salt + water + hydrogen
4. acid + carbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide
Question 10:
Which of the following represents the word equation of acid reacting with metal?
1. acid + metal → salt + hydrogen
2. acid + metal → salt + water
3. acid + metal → salt + water + hydrogen
4. acid + metal → salt + water + carbon dioxide

Question 11:
Which of the following represents the word equation of nitric acid reacting with sodium
hydroxide?
1. nitric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium chloride + water
2. nitric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium nitrate + water
3. nitric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium sulfate + water
4. nitric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium sulfate + hydrogen

Question 12:
Which of the following represents the word equation of sulfuric acid reacting with an aluminium
carbonate?
1. sulfuric acid + aluminium carbonate → aluminium nitrate + water + hydrogen
2. sulfuric acid + aluminium carbonate → aluminium sulfate + water + hydrogen
3. sulfuric acid + aluminium carbonate → aluminium nitrate + water + carbon dioxide
4. sulfuric acid + aluminium carbonate → aluminium sulfate + water + carbon dioxide

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