THE REACTIONS OF ACIDS AND BASES

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WHEN ACIDS REACT
When acids react with metals, bases and carbonates, a salt is produced. Salts are
ionic compounds. Sodium chloride, NaCl, is an example. The name of the salt depends
on the acid you start with:
hydrochloric acid gives chlorides
sulfuric acid gives sulfates
nitric acid gives nitrates

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TYPICAL ACIDS REACTIONS
1 With metals: acid + metal salt + hydrogen
For example:
magnesium + sulfuric acid magnesium sulfate + hydrogen
Mg (s) + H2SO4 (aq) MgSO4 (aq) + H2 (g)
So the metal drives the hydrogen out of the acid, and takes its place: it displaces
hydrogen. A solution of the salt magnesium sulfate is formed.

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TYPICAL ACIDS REACTIONS
2 With bases: acid + base salt + water
Bases are compounds that react with acid to give only a salt and water. Metal oxides
and hydroxides are bases. Alkalis are soluble bases.
Example for an acid and alkali:
hydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide sodium chloride + water
HCl (aq) + NaOH (aq) NaCl (aq) + H2O (l)
Example for an acid and insoluble base:
sulfuric acid + copper(II) oxide copper(II) sulfate + water
H2SO4 (aq) + CuO (s) CuSO4 (aq) + H2O (l)

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TYPICAL ACIDS REACTIONS
3 With carbonates: acid + carbonate salt + water + carbon dioxide
For example:
calcium + hydrochloric calcium + water + carbon
carbonate acid chloride dioxide

CaCO3 (s) + 2HCl (aq) CaCl2 (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 ( g)

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REACTIONS OF BASES
1. Bases react with acids, as you saw above, giving only a salt and water. That is
what identifies a base.
2. Bases such as sodium, potassium and calcium hydroxides react with ammonium
salts, driving out ammonia gas.
For example:
calcium + ammonium calcium + water + ammonia
hydroxide chloride chloride

Ca(OH)2 (s) + 2NH4Cl (s) CaCl2 (s) + 2H2O (l) + 2NH3 (g)
This reaction is used for making ammonia in the laboratory.

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NEUTRALISATION AND MAKING USE OF IT
Neutralisation is a reaction with acid that gives water as well as a salt.
So the reactions of bases and carbonates with acids are neutralisations. We say the acid is
neutralised. But the reactions of acids with metals are not neutralisations.
We often make use of neutralisation outside the lab. For example, to reduce acidity in soil.
Soil forms when rock is broken up over many years by the action of rain and the weather. It
may be acidic because of the type of rock it came from. But rotting vegetation, and heavy use
of fertilisers, can also make it acidic.
Most crops grow best when the pH of the soil is close to 7. If the soil is too acidic, crops grow
badly or not at all. That could be a disaster for farmers.
So to reduce its acidity, the soil is treated with crushed limestone, which is calcium carbonate,
or lime (calcium oxide) or slaked lime (calcium hydroxide). A neutralisation reaction takes
place.

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ACIDS AND REDOX REACTIONS
The reactions of acids with metals are redox reactions, because electrons are
transferred. For example when magnesium reacts with hydrochloric acid, magnesium
ions form. The magnesium is oxidised:
Mg (s) Mg2+ (aq) + 2e- (oxidation is loss of electrons)
But in neutralisation reactions, no electrons are transferred. You can check this by
looking at the oxidation states in the equation. For example, for the reaction between
hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide:
HCl (aq) + NaOH (aq) NaCl (aq) 1 H2O (l)
No element changes its oxidation state. So this is not a redox reaction. In the next
unit, you can find out what does go on during neutralisation.

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