Acids and Alkalis

The properties of Acids

 Acids have pH values less than 7
 Acids taste sour
 Acids change the colour of blue litmus paper to
red
 Concentrated acids are corrosive
 Acids react with metals to give out hydrogen
gas
 Acids react with carbonates to give out carbon
dioxide gas
 Acid + metal  salt + hydrogen
 Hydrochloric acid + magnesium  magnesium chloride +
hydrogen
 Sulphuric acid + zinc  zinc sulphate + hydrogen

 Acids only show their properties in the present

of water
 Acids can be defined as a chemical substance
that contain hydrogen and the hydrogen in an
acid my be replaced by a suitable metal.
 Uses of Acids in Daily Life

 Hydrochloric acid – used to remove rust on iron

 Sulphuric acid – used in a car batteries
 Nitric acid – used to make fertilisers
 Formic acid – used to process latex
 Acetic acid – used to preserve food / use in cooking
vinegar
 Carbonic acid – used to make fizzy drinks
 The properties of Alkalis
 Alkalis have pH values more than 7
 Alkalis taste bitter
 Alkalis change the colour of red litmus paper to
blue
 Concentrated alkalis are corrosive
 Alkalis react with ammonium salt to give out
ammonia gas
 Alkalis only show their properties in the present
of water
 Uses of Alkalis in Daily Life

 Potassium hydroxide – used to make soap

 Sodium hydroxide - used to make soap
 Calcium hydroxide – used to neutralise acidic
soil / used to make cement
 Magnesium hydroxide – used to make toothpaste
/ used to make milk of magnesia
Understanding the pH Scale

 Acids and bases also behave differently when

they are dissolved in water. Acids form
positively charged hydrogen ions (H+) and
negative ions in a water solution. Alkalis form
negatively charged hydroxide ions (OH–) and
positive ions in solution. The concentration of
hydrogen ions in solution is measured by the
pH scale. Look at the pH scale below.

 Notice that the scale is numbered from 0 to 14.
The lower the pH number, the higher the
concentration of hydrogen ions and the more
acidic the solution. Any substance listed below
pH 7 is acidic.
 The higher the pH, the lower the concentration
of hydrogen ions and the more alkali the
solution. Any substance above pH 7 is alkali.
Pure water has a pH of 7, right in the middle of
the scale. It is neutral—neither an acid nor a
alkali.