Class 10 Science Chapter 2 Acids, Bases and

Salts
Following questions consist of two statements – Assertion (A)
and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the
appropriate option given below:
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of
A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
Q.1. Assertion (A) : The acid must always be added to water with constant stirring.
Reason (R) : Mixing of an acid with water decreases the concentration of H+ ions per unit
volume.

Answer(b)

Q.2. Assertion (A) : Copper sulphate crystals are wet because it contains water of
crystallisation.
Reason (R) : Water of crystallisation is the fixed number of molecules of water present in
one
formula unit of salt.

Answer(d) The Assertion is false. Copper sulphate is not wet. It is an hydrated salt, as it contains
water molecules.

Q.3. Assertion (A) : The aqueous solutions of glucose and alcohol do not show acidic
character.
Reason (R) : Aqueous solutions of glucose and alcohol do not give H+ ions.

Answer(a)

Q.4. Assertion (A) : HCl gas does not change the colour of dry blue litmus paper.
Reason (R) : HCl gas dissolves in the water present in wet litmus paper to form H+ ions.

Answer(a)
Q.5. Assertion (A) : Weak acids have low electrical conductivity.
Reason (R) : Strong acids and weak acids have equal concentration of hydrogen ions in their
solutions.

Answer(c)

Q.6. Assertion (A): Pure water is neither acidic nor basic.

Reason (R) : The pH of a solution is inversely proportional to the concentration of hydrogen
ions in it.

Answer(b)

Q.7. Assertion (A) : During electrolysis of concentrated aqueous solution of sodium

chloride, hydrogen is produced at anode and chlorine gas is produced at cathode.
Reason (R) : Ions get attracted to oppositely charged electrodes.

Answer(d)

Q.8. Assertion (A) : Baking powder is used in making cake instead of using only baking soda.
Reason (R) : Baking powder contains tartaric acid which reacts with sodium carbonate and
removes bitter taste.

Answer(a)

Q.9. Assertion (A) : The chemical formula of bleaching powder is CaOCI.

Reason (R) : Calcium oxide reacts with chlorine to form bleaching powder.

Answer(c)

Q.10. Assertion (A): Plaster of Paris is stored in a moisture proof container.

Reason (R) : Plaster of Paris sets into a hard mass on wetting with water to form anhydrous
calcium sulphate.

Answer(c)

Q.11. Assertion (A): The chemical name of bleaching powder is calcium oxychloride.

Reason (R): Bleaching powder is used as an oxidising agent in chemical industries.

Answer: (b)

Q.12. Assertion: The process of dissolving an acid or a base in water is highly exothermic

reaction.
Reason: Water must always be added slowly to acid with constant stirring.
Answer: (c) The process of dissolving an acid or a base in water is highly exothermic reaction. Acid
must always be added slowly to water with constant stirring.

Q.13. Assertion : Phenolphthalein is an acid-base indicator.

Reason: Phenolphthalein gives different colours in acidic and basic medium.

Answer: (a)

Q.14. Assertion: Calcium sulphate hemihydrate, CaSO4.1/2 H20 is called plaster of Paris.

Reason: Plaster of Paris is used for producing moulds for pottery and ceramics and casts of
statues.

Answer: (b)

Q.15. Assertion : pH = 7 signifies pure water.

Reason: pH of acetic acid is greater than 7.

Answer: (c) pH of acetic acid is less than 7.

Q.16. Assertion : HCl is a stronger acid than acetic acid.

Reason: On dissociation, HCl yields lesser hydrogen ions for the same concentration as
compared to acetic
acid.

Answer: (c) On dissociation, HCl yields more hydrogen ions for the same concentration as compared
to acetic acid.

Q.17. Assertion : pH of ammonium nitrate solution is acidic.

Reason: Solution of a salt of weak base and strong acid is acidic.

Answer: (a) Ammonium nitrate is a salt of ammonium hydroxide (weak base) and nitric acid (strong
acid).

Q.18. Assertion : Phosphoric acid is a weak acid.

Reason : Phosphoric acid when dissolved in water dissociates partially and produces very
little H* ions.

Answer: (a)

Q.19. Assertion : Antacids neutralize the effect of extra acid produced in the stomach
during indigestion and thus provide relief.
Reason: Antacids are mild bases.

Answer: (a)
Q.20. Assertion : Acetic acid does not act as an acid in benzene solution.
Reason: Benzene is non-polar.

Answer: (a) For ionization of an acid, polar solvents (like water) are required. As ionization does not
take place in non-polar solvents (like benzene) so acetic acid does not acts as an acid.

Q.21. Assertion : Bleaching powder reacts with dilute acids to evolve chlorine.
Reason: The chlorine liberated by the action of dilute acids on bleaching powder is called
available chlorine.

Answer: (b)

Q.22. Assertion : Sodium carbonate pentahydrate is also known as washing soda.

Reason: Chief raw materials for the manufacture of washing soda are NH 3, NaCl and CaCO3.

Answer: (d)

Q.23. Assertion: Common salt is used for the preparation of many chemicals such as sodium
hydroxide, bleaching powder, baking soda, washing soda etc.
Reason : Main source of sodium chloride is sea water.

Answer: (b)

Q.24. Assertion : AlCl3 is a basic salt.

Reason: AlCl3 is a salt of strong acid and a weak base.

Answer: (d)

Q.25. Assertion : Baking soda is prepared by chlor-alkali process.

Reason: Brine decomposes to sodium hydroxide on passing electricity through it.

Answer: (d)

Q.26. Assertion : Salt of KNO3 is formed by strong base and weak acid.
Reason: Salt of NH4Cl is formed by weak base and strong acid.

Answer: (d)

Q.27. Assertion : Strength of the acid or base decreases with dilution.

Reason: Ionization of an acid or a base increases with dilution.

Answer: (b)
Q.28. Assertion : Higher the H ion concentration, lower is the pH value.
Reason: The pH of a neutral solution=7, that of a basic solution < 7 and that of an acidic
solution > 7.

Answer: (c)

Q.29. Assertion : CH3COOH is used as vinegar in cooking and food preservatives.

Reason: Strong acids are those acids which ionise almost completely in aqueous solution
and hence produce a large amount of Hions.

Answer: (b)

Q.30. Assertion : Tooth decay starts when the pH of the mouth is lower than 5.5.
Reason: Enamel starts corroding below 5.5 pH.

Answer: (a)

Click Here

Case Study/Passage Based Questions

Question 1:

pH is quite useful to us in a number of ways in daily life. Some of

its applications are:

Control of pH of the soil : Plants need a specific pH range for

proper growth. The soil may be acidic, basic or neutral
depending upon the relative concentration of H* and OH-. The
pH of any soil can be determined by using pH paper. If the soil is
too acidic, it can be corrected by adding lime to it. If the soil is
too basic, it can be corrected by adding organic manure which
contains acidic materials.

Regaining shine of a tarnished copper vessel by use of

acids : A copper vessel gets tarnished due to formation of an
oxide layer on its surface. On rubbing lenion on the vessel, the
surface is cleaned and the vessel begins to shine again. This is
due to the fact that copper oxide is basic in nature, which reacts
with the acid (citric acid) present in lemon to form a salt (copper
citrate) which is washed away with water. As a result, the layer of
copper oxide is removed from the surface of the vessel and the
shining surface is exposed.

Self-defence by animals through chemical warfare : Stings of

bees and ants contain methanoic acid. When stung, it causes lot
of pain and irritation. This can be cured by rubbing the affected
area with mild base like baking soda.

(i) When black copper oxide placed in a beaker is treated

with dilute HCl, its colour changes to
(a) white
(b) dark red
(c) bluish green
(d) no change.

Answer: (c) bluish green

(ii) P is an aqueous solution of acid and Q is an aqueous

solution of base. When these two are diluted separately, then
(a) pH of P increases while that of Q decreases till neutralisation.
(b) pH of P decreases while that of Q increases till neutralisation.
(C) pH of both P and Q decrease.
(d) pH of both P and Q increase.

Answer: (a) pH of P increases while that of Q decreases till neutralisation.

(iii) Which of the following acids is present in bee sting?
(a) Formic acid
(b) Acetic acid
(c) Citric acid
(d) Hydrochloric acid

Answer: (c) Citric acid

(iv) Sting of ant can be cured by rubbing the affected area

with soap because
(a) it contains oxalic acid which neutralises the effect of formic
acid
(b) it contains aluminium hydroxide which neutralises the effect
of formic acid
(c) it contains sodium hydroxide which neutralises the effect of
formic acid
(d) none of these

Answer: (c) it contains sodium hydroxide which neutralises the effect of formic acid

(v) The pH of soil X is 7.5 while that of soil Y is 4.5. Which of

the two soils, should be treated with powdered chalk to
adjust its pH?
(a) X only
(b) Y only
(c) Both X and Y
(d) none of these

Answer: (b) Y only

2. The acidic behaviour of acids is due to the presence of hydrogenil(H+)ions
in them. They produce hydrogen ions in the presence of water. Water is a
polar solvent and this property of water helps in weakening the bond between
the ions and makes them soluble. Hence, acids and bases produce ions in
aqueous solutions.
It may be noted that a dry Hel gas or a solution of hydrogen chloride in
organic, nonpolar solvents like toluene or benzene do not show acidic
properties. This is because hydrogen chloride does not undergo ionization in
toluene.
The reason why Hel splits into H+ and CI- ions in presence of water lies in the
fact that water molecules, being polar, pull the H+ and Cl - ions apart and thus,
the bond in Hel is broken

(i) Identify the wrong statement.

(a) Higher the hydronium ion concentration, lower is the pH value
(b) Universal indicator is used to judge how strong a given acid or base is
(c) As the pH value increases from 7 to 14, it represents increase in H+ ion concentration in the solution
(d) Value less than 7 on the pH scale represents an acidic solution

(ii) If the pH of a solution is 8, then its [H+] ion is

(a) log 10- 8 (b) 108 (c) 10- 8 (d) 8

(iii) In terms of acidic strength, which one of the following is in the correct
increasing order?
 (a) Water < Acetic acid < Hydrochloric acid (b) Water < Hydrochloric acid < Acetic acid
(c) Acetic acid < Water < Hydrochloric acid (d) Hydrochloric acid < Water < Acetic acid

(iv) Which of the following compounds does not give H+ ions in aqueous
solution?
(a) H3 PO4 (b) C2H5OH (c) H2CO3 (d) CH3COOH

(v) Four solutions labelled as P, Q, Rand Shave pH values 1, 9, 3 and 13

respectively.
Which of the following statements about the given solutions is incorrect?
(a) Solution P has higher concentration of hydrogen ions than solution R.
(b) Solution Q has lower concentration of hydroxide ions than solution S.
(c) Solutions P and Q will turn red litmus solution blue.
(d) Solution P is highly acidic while solution Q is weakly basic.

1. Answer 2 (i) (c): As the pH value increases from 7 to 14, it represents

decrease in H+ ion concentration in the solution.
(ii) (c): pH = -logl0 [H+] = 8
logl0 [H+] =-8
[H+] = 10- 8 mol/L
(iii) (a)
(iv) (b): C2H5OH is not an ionic compound, it is a covalent compound
and hence does not give H+ ions in aqueous solution.
(v) (c): (a) Lower the pH of the solution, more acidic is the solution and
higher is the [H+] ions
Thus, solution P (pH = 1) has higher [H+] ions than solution R (pH = 3).
(b) Higher the pH of the solution, more basic is the solution and higher
is the [OH-] ions
Thus, solution Q (pH = 9) has lower [OH-] ions than solution S (pH =
l3).
(c) Solution P (pH = 1) is acidic which turns blue litmus solution red
whereas solution Q (pH = 9) is basic which turns red litmus solution
blue.
(d) Solution P (pH = 1) is highly acidic while solution S (pH = l3) is
highly basic and solution Q (pH = 9) is weakly basic.
3. A compound, X of sodium forms a white powder. It is a constituent of
baking powder and is used in some antacids. When heated it gives a
compound, Y which is anhydrous and absorbs water to become a hydrated
salt. When this salt is kept in open air, it loses water molecules in a process
called efflorescence. When dissolved in water it forms a strong base and a
weak acid, Z.
(i) What is the compound, X?
(a) NaHCO3 (b) Na2CO3 (c) NaOH (d) NaCl

(ii) The compound, Y is (b) Na2CO3 (c) Na2CO3 10H2O (d) NaCI

(a) NaHCO3

(iii) What is the nature of the solution formed by dissolving Y in water?

(a) Alkaline (b) Acidic (c) Neutral (d) It remains insoluble

(iv) Identify the compound, Z.

(a) CO2 (b) H2CO3 (c) NaOH (d) H2O

(v) Sodium carbonate is a basic compound because it is a salt of a

(a) strong acid and strong base (b) weak acid and weak base
(c) strong acid and weak base (d) weak acid and strong base

Answer 3
(a): The compound of sodium that is a constituent of baking powder
and is used in antacids, is sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHC03).

 (iii) (a):Na2CO3+2H2O  ⟶2NaOH+H2CO3 (iii) (a):Na2CO3+2H2O  ⟶2NaOH+H2CO
3
                                                  Strong base       (Z)Weak acid
NaOH ionises completely to give a large amount of OH- ions whereas
H2CO3 ionises partially to give a small amount ofH+ ions. Hence, the
solution is overall alkaline.
(iv) (b): Z is carbonic acid, a weak acid formed when Na2CO3 is
dissolved in water.
(v) (d)    

4. Sodium chloride obtained from sea water or from lakes contains many
impurities such as sulphates of sodium and magnesium along with chlorides
of calcium and magnesium. The chlorides of calcium and magnesium are
particularly undesirable on account of their deliquescent nature.
For its purification, common salt is dissolved in minimum quantity of water
to get a saturated solution from which insoluble impurities are filtered off.
Then hydrogen chloride gas is passed through the saturated solution and the
crystals of pure NaCl separate out. The soluble impurities remain in the
mother liquor. The crystals are filtered, washed and dried.

(i) Select the correct statement regarding salt NaCl.

(a) Pure NaCI is hygroscopic in nature
(b) It is soluble in alcohol
(c) Pure NaCI is not hygroscopic, it shows hygroscopic nature due to impurities
(d) It is a brown crystalline solid

(ii) Nature of aqueous solution of common salt is

(a) acidic (b) alkaline (c) basic (d) neutral

(iii) In the given series of reactions, Y and Z respectively are

(a) NaHCO3 , NaOCl2 (b) NH4CI, Na2CO3 (c) Na2CO3 , NH4CI (d) Na2CO3, NaHCO3
 (iv) Which of the following compounds is alkaline in aqueous medium?

(a) Na2CO3 (b) NaCI (c) H2CO3 (d) CuSO4

(v) Some statements regarding salt NaCI are given below

(I) It is prepared by chlor-alkali process
(II) It is a white crystalline substance
(III) It also exists in the form of rocks and is called rock salt
(IV) It is a neutral salt, pH value of NaCI is 7
(d)
(b) (c)
II,
III I
III
an an
an
(a) II and III only d d
d
IV IV
IV
onl onl
onl
y y
y

1. Answer 4
2. (i) (c): NaCI is insoluble in alcohol and it is a white
crystalline solid. Pure NaCI is not hygroscopic in
nature
(ii) (d): Aqueous solution of common salt is neutral in
nature.
NaCl+H2O   ⟶NaOH +     HClNaCl+H2O   ⟶NaOH +     HCl
                           Strong base    Strong acid

(iv) (a): When Na2CO3 (sodium carbonate) is dissolved

in water then it forms alkaline aqueous solution due to
the formation of NaOH which is a strong alkali.
(v) (d): Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is prepared by
chlor-alkali process.

5. Chemically, Plaster of Paris (POP) is calcium sulphate hemihydrate, i.e.,

containing half molecule of water of crystallisation. It is represented by the
formula, CaSO4 ·1/2H2O. Half molecule of water of crystallisation means that
one water molecule is shared by two formula units of CaSO4. Hence, we also
represent its formula as (CaSO4)2·H2O. The name, plaster of Paris, was given
to this compound because for the first time, it was made from gypsum which
was mainly found in Paris.
(i) The difference of water molecules in gypsum and plaster of Paris is
(a) 5/2 (b) 2 (c) 1/2 (d) 3/2

(ii) Plaster of Paris hardens by

(a) giving off CO2 (b) changing into CaCO3

(c) combining with water (d) giving out water

(iii) Which of the following statements is incorrect?

(a) Plaster of Paris is used to ornate designs on walls and ceilings

(b) On heating gypsum above 373 K, CaSO4 is obtained
(c) Dead burnt plaster is CaSO4 ·2H2O
(d) Setting of plaster is due to its hydration into gypsum

(iv) Select the incorrect statement with respect to gypsum

(a) It is slightly soluble in water

(b) It is also known as alabaster
(c) On heating gypsum at 373 K, it loses water molecules and becomes calcium sulphate hemihydrate
(d) Chemical formula of gypsum is CaSO4 ·1/2H2O
(v) Plaster of Paris is obtained by

(a) adding water to calcium sulphate.

(b) adding sulphuric acid to calcium hydroxide
(c) heating gypsum to a very high temperature
(d) heating gypsum to 100° C

Answer 5

(i) (d): Gypsum is CaSO4 ·2H2Oand plaster of Paris is CaSO41212 H2O.

Difference in number of water molecules =32=32.
(ii) (c): Plaster of Paris is hardened by combining with water.
(iii) (c): Dead burnt plaster is CaSO4 (anhydrous calcium sulphate).
(iv) (d): Gypsum: CaSO4 ·2H2O Plaster of paris: CaSO4 ·1/2H2O
(v) (d): Gypsum on heating upto lOO°C gives plaster of Paris.
100oC
CaSO4⋅2H2O---⟶100∘CCaSO4⋅1/2H2O+1.5H2O
      Gypsum                    Plaster of Paris

6. pH is quite useful to us in a number of ways in daily life. Some of its

applications are:
Control of pH of the soil: Plants need a specific pH range for proper growth.
The soil may be acidic, basic or neutral depending upon the relative
concentration of H+ and OH-. The pH of any soil can be determined by using
pH paper. If the soil is too acidic, it can be corrected by adding lime to it. If
the soil is too basic, it can be corrected by adding organic manure which
contains acidic materials
Regaining shine of a tarnished copper vessel by use of acids: A copper
vessel gets tarnished due to formation of an oxide layer on its surface. On
rubbing lemon on the vessel, the surface is cleaned and the vessel begins to
shine again. This is due to the fact that copper oxide is basic in nature, which
reacts with the acid (citric acid) present in lemon to form a salt (copper
citrate) which is washed away with water. As a result, the layer of copper
oxide is removed from the surface of the vessel and the shining surface is
exposed

(i) When black copper oxide placed in a beaker is treated with dilute HCl, its
colour changes to
(a) white (b) dark red (c) bluish green (c) bluish green (d) no change

(ii) P is an aqueous solution of acid and Q is an aqueous solution of

base. When these two are diluted separately, then
(a) pH of P increases while that of Q decreases till neutralisation
(b) pH of P decreases while that of Q increases till neutralisation
(c) pH of both P and Q decrease
(d) pH of both P and Q increase

(iii) Which of the following acids is present in bee sting?

(a) Formic acid (c) Citric acid (b) Acetic acid

(b) Acetic acid (d) Hydrochloric acid

(iv) Sting of ant can be cured by rubbing the affected area with soap because

(a) it contains oxalic acid which neutralises the effect of formic acid
(b) it contains aluminium hydroxide which neutralises the effect of formic acid
(c) it contains sodium hydroxide which neutralises the effect of formic acid
(d) none of these

(v) The pH of soil X is 7.5 while that of soil Y is 4.5. Which of the two soils,
should be treated with powdered chalk to adjust its pH?

(a) X only (b) Y only (c) Both X and Y (d) None of these
 
 Answer6

1.  (i) (c):CuO+2HCl⟶CuCl2+2H2O 
                                         (Bluish green)
(ii) (a): On diluting, H+ ion concentration reduces per unit volume thus,
pH increases. On the other hand, on diluting, OH- concentration also
reduces, pOH increases and pH decreases. As, pOH + pH = 14. Thus,
pH of Q (basic solution) decreases while that of P (acidic solution)
increases on dilution
(iii) (c): Formic acid is the common name of methanoic acid, and it is
present in bee sting
(iv) (c)
(v) (b): Soil Y is acidic. Hence, it should be treated with powdered
chalk to reduce its acidity