ACIDS & BASES

Presentation by
ANISH SHARMA

CONTENTS

Acids
Bases
Strong and weak acids and bases .
Indicators
Ph scale
Ionisation in water
Neutralisation reactions
Environmental hazard - acid rain

Acids
Produce H+ (as H3O+) ions in water
Produce a negative ion (-) too
Taste sour
React with several metals releasing H2(g) corrosion
React with carbonates releasing CO2(g)
Turn blue litmus (vegetable dye) red

React with bases to form salts and water

Destroy body tissue , corrosion of metals

Bases

Produce OH- ions in water

Taste bitter, chalky
are electrolytes
Feel soapy, slippery
React with acids to form salts and

Strengths of Acids and Bases

Strong acids completely ionize (100%) in
aqueous solutions
HCl + H2O

H3O+ + Cl- (100 % ions)

Strong bases completely (100%) dissociate into

ions in aqueous solutions.
NaOH

Na+ (aq) + OH-(aq)

(100 % ions)

 Weak acids do not dissociate into H+ completely

in water .eg H2CO3 (l)

CH3COOH (l) +H2O

Weak bases

H+ (aq) +

CH3COO- (aq)

similarly do not completely ionise in water eg.

NH3(g) + H2O

NH4 + (aq) + OH (aq)

HCO3 (aq) + H2O H2CO3 (aq) +

OH-(aq)

Strengths of acids and bases.

Strong acids and strong bases are good
electrolytes due to 100% ionisation into H+ and
OH- ions respectively in water. good
conductors
Severe burns to body tissue
Strong acids H2SO4(l); HNO3(l)
strong bases NaOH ;KOH; also k/a alkalis.
Weak acids and weak bases are weak electrolytes
(lesser concentration of ions)
Most acids in nature are weak eg.acetic acid
citrus acid etc.
Weak bases eg Al(OH)3 Mg(OH)2

a.Strong acid (hydrochloric acid)

b. weak acid (carbonic acid)

INDICATORS
To decide if something is an acid or a base
we can use an indicator.
Litmus and Universal Indicator are
examples of indicators.
They change colour depending on if they
are in an acid or a base.

pH

pH stands for power of hydrogen From the French

pouvoir hydrogene

First given by Soren Sorenson

It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14.

The formal definition of pH is the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion
activity.
pH = -log[H+] or ph = -log [H3O+]
also
[H3O+] = 1 x 10-exponent
the exponent = pH
[H3O+] = 1 x 10-pH M

pH value
The pH value of a substance is directly
related to the ratio of the hydrogen ion
and hydroxyl ion concentrations.
If the H+ concentration is higher than OHthe material is acidic.
If the OH- concentration is higher than H+
the material is basic.
7 is neutral, < is acidic, >7 is basic

Acid Base Concentrations

concentration (moles/L)

10-1

pH = 3

pH = 11
OH-

H3 O+

pH = 7

10-7

H3 O+

OH-

OH10-14

H3 O+

[H3O+] > [OH-]

[H3O+] = [OH-]

acidic
solution

neutral
solution

[H3O+] < [OH-]

basic
solution

pH scale
This scale is used to
tell the concentration
of H+ ions versus OHions
Things that are
neutral are a 7 acids
are below 7 and bases
are above

Ionization of Water

Occasionally, in water, a H+ is transferred

between H2O molecules. Important equilibrium
is set up .

..

..

H:O: +

..

:
O:H
..
H

..
..

H:O:H +
H

water molecules
ion +

..

..

:O:H-

hydronium hydroxide
ion (-)

Ion Product of Water Kw

Kw Is the water constant .It is the product of molar
concentrations of H+ and OH- ions in the above
equilibrium reaction
[
] = Molar concentration
Kw

also

[ H3O+ ] [ OH- ]
=

[ 1 x 10-7 ][ 1 x 10-7 ]

1 x 10-14

Kw = -log Kw

pOH
pOH is sometimes used as a measure of the
concentration of hydroxide ions, OH, or
alkalinity .
pOH is not measured independently, but is
derived from pH. pOH =
The concentration of hydroxide ions in water is
related to the concentration of hydrogen ions by
[OH] = KW /[H+]
where KW is the self ionisation constant of water.
pOH= -log [OH ]

Acid Base Neutralization

Reactions
When
When acid
acid and
and bases
bases with
with equal
equal amounts
amounts of
of hydrogen
hydrogen
ion
ion H
H++ and
and hydroxide
hydroxide ions
ions OH
OH-- are
are mixed,
mixed, the
the resulting
resulting
solution
solution is
is neutral(
neutral( salt
salt and
and water
water ).).
NaOH
NaOH (aq)
(aq)

++ HCl(aq)
HCl(aq)

NaCl
NaCl ++ H
H22O
O

base
base
acid
acid
salt
salt
water
water
H
H33O
O++ and
and OH
OH--combine
combine to
to produce
produce water
water
H
H33O
O++

++

from
from acid
acid

OH
OH--

from
from base
base

22 H
H22O
O
neutral
neutral

Net
Net ionic
ionic equation:
equation:
H
H++

++

OH
OH--

H
H22O
O

Key Concepts:

Acid

Acids and Bases

Base

produce
H + ions

Ionization in water

produce

gives

OH- ions
H+

100%

Strong
acid

Small %

Weak
acid

100%
Strong
base

Small %
Weak
base

undergo
Neutralization
to form

OHproduct
[H+] x [OH-]
is
pH

Salt

&

Water

Some Practical applications of

pH

Antacids
Medicines are based on the principle of acid-base
neutralisation r*ns

Used to neutralize stomach acid (HCl)

Many contain one or more weak bases
Alka-Seltzer:
Di-gel:

NaHCO3, citric acid, and aspirin

CaCO3 and Mg(OH)2

Gelusil:

Al(OH)3 and Mg(OH)2

Maalox:

Al(OH)3 and Mg(OH)2

Mylanta:

Al(OH)3 and Mg(OH)2

ACID RAIN

Unpolluted rain has a pH of 5.6

Rain with a pH below 5.6 is acid rain
CO2 in the air forms carbonic acid
CO2 + H2O

H2CO3

Adds to H+ of rain
H2CO3

H+ (aq) + HCO3-(aq)

Other acidic gases that cause acid rain

SO2
26 million tons in 1980
NO and NO2

22 million tons in 1980

Acidic rain reactions

Reactions with oxygen in air form SO3
2SO2 + O2

2 SO3

Reactions with water in air form acids

SO3 + H2O

H2SO4 sulphuric acid

NO + H2O

HNO2 nitrous acid

HNO2 + H2O

HNO3 nitric acid

Sources of Acid Rain

Power stations
Oil refineries
Coal with high S content
Car and truck emissions
Bacterial decomposition, and lighting
hitting N2

Effects of acid rain

Corrodes sculpture and monuments . The Taj is the best

example
Taj
mahal
1958
and
now
2009

Sculpture
affected
by acid
rain

THANKYOU.