Acids And Bases – What Are They?
Acids and bases are the terminologies that are used by chemists to classify chemicals based on their pH levels. An acid is any material that submit a hydrogen ion in solution. Conversely, a base is any matter that generates a hydroxide ion in solution. However, there are many different theories by different theorists defining acids and bases. Some of them are outlined below:
In the seventeenth century, Robert Boyle first classified matter as either acids or bases. He used the following characteristics to determine whether a material is acid or base.
Acids Bases
Taste sour Feel slippery
Corrosive to metals Taste bitter
Change litmus red Change litmus blue
Become less acidic when mixed with Become less basic when mixed with acids
bases
According to Svante Arrhenius:
Acids produce H ions in aqueous solutions
Bases produce OH ions in aqueous solutions
According to Johannes Nicolaus Bronsted & Thomas Martin Lowry:
Acids are proton contributors
Bases are proton receptors
According to Newton Lewis:
Acids are electron pair receptors
Bases are electron pair donors
Considering the various theories, what exactly are acids?
1. The word acid comes from the Latin acere which means sour. Acids taste sour.
2. They change litmus from blue to red.
3. They react with bases to form salts and water
4. Upon reaction with an active metal such as zinc and aluminum, they develop hydrogen gas.
5. They are electrolytes
6. They are corrosive (burns your skin)
7. Acids have a pH less than 7
8. They react with carbonates to form carbon dioxide
What exactly are bases?
1. They taste bitter.
2. They are soapy or slippery
3. Bases don't change the colour of litmus but they can turn acidified (red) litmus to blue.
4. Like acids, they are electrolytes
5. They react with acids to form salts and water.
6. They are also corrosive
7. Has pH of more than 7
Many acids and bases are very well-known common as we use them in our daily lives. Many industries incorporate the use of acids and bases in their processes to produce many consumer goods.
Examples of acids are:
1. Citric acid – this is found in many fruits and vegetables especially citrus fruits like lemons and oranges.
2. Ascorbic acid or Vitamin C which is found in certain fruits
3. Vinegar (acetic acid)
4. Carbonic acid – used in the manufacture of soft drinks
5. Lactic acid that is found in buttermilk.
6. Hydrochloric acid in gastric juices
7. Sulphuric acid
8. Uric acid found in urine
9. Tannic acid in teas and wines
10. Tartaric acid found in grapes
Examples of bases are:
1. Detergents and cleaning agents
2. Soap
3. Lye
4. Household ammonia
5. Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda)
6. Calcium hydroxide (limewater)
7. Magnesium hydroxide or milk of magnesia
8. Bleaches
9. Toothpaste
Questions and Answers
With the epoch-making changes taken place in the field of communication, the age-old conventions are no more in practice. Rather the new ground-breaking technologies have paved way to welcome newer and smarter technologies to talk to our close ones.
Until CST/Berger came up with dependable, user-friendly and powerful Total Stations and laser levels and until Disto started offering ‘Customized for America' precision measuring tools, surveying was a painful and hassle-ridden process.
LG the leading manufacturer of LED and Plasma television sets have bombarded the global market with superior quality LG LED TV and LG Plasma TV sets, which has revolutionized the television industry.
Professional heating contractors are known to offer a range of services. Major services include installation, repair and maintenance of boilers, water heaters, furnaces, air conditioning and much more.
Solenoids and what they are used for in day today life. Where can they be purchased?
VGA or Video Graphics Array refers distinctively to the exhibit hardware first presented with the IBM PS2 line of computers in 1987. Through is widespread support has come to mean either an analogue computer display standard VGA connector.
Your home may be the most important asset you own and defending it is critically important. One of the unsurpassed methods of protecting your home particularly from intruders is by setting up a burglar alarm system. Today's systems are reasonable and very much effective.
This type of advertising is the reasonable method of buying or selling announcing. This is because instead of acquire a click through, a lead or a sale, the only thing that is being exchanged is views. CPM stands for Cost per thousand impressions. The M is the Roman numeral for 1000. Therefore M=1000. Whether or not someone clicks is beside the point.
Have you ever speculate why corner units have become so popular? Many traditional furniture ranging from small display units to TV stands are being manufactured as corner units. The corners of rooms are to fit useful furniture into. Often times we have useful corner space being wasted. This is where corner units become useful and this is also responsible for the increase in corner units on the furniture market.
Discuss this Article
