Acids, Bases and Salts
Acids, Bases and Salts
Acids, Bases and Salts
Acids:
An acid is a proton (H+) donor. It dissolves in water to produce H+ ions. Its pH will be less than 7.
Basicity of an acid:
It is the number of replaceable hydrogen atom present in one acid molecule.
Eg., HCl H+ + Cl- [mono basic acid, number of replaceable hydrogen atom =1]
H2SO4 2H+ + SO4-2 [dibasic acid, number of replaceable hydrogen atom = 2]
H3PO4 3H+ + PO4-3 [tribasic acid, number of replaceable hydrogen atom =3]
Properties of acids:
Acids turn blue litmus red
Acids react with metals above hydrogen in the reactivity series to produce hydrogen and salt.
Metal displaces hydrogen from the acid.
eg. Mg + 2HCl MgCl2 + H2
Acids react with carbonates to produce CO2.
eg. Na2CO3 + 2 HCl NaCl + CO2 + H2O
Neutralization reactions:
Acids react with metal oxides and hydroxides (bases)
eg. MgO + 2HCl MgCl2 + H2O
NaOH + HCl NaCl + H2O
Metal salt + water potassium hydroxide + nitric acid pottasium nitrate + water
hydroxide
Metal oxide salt + water copper (II) oxide + sulphuric acid copper (II) sulphate +
water
Metal salt + water + calcium carbonate + nitric acid calcium nitrate + water +
carbon dioxide
carbonate carbon dioxide
Bases:
It is a proton acceptor. It neutralises an acid producing a salt and water.
eg. NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)2, Fe2O3, CuO, MgO, PbO
Alkali:
If the base is soluble, it is called an alkali. It gives out OH- ions when dissolved in water.
eg. . NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)2
NaOH Na+ + OH-
All alkali's except ammonia (NH3), react with ammonium compounds liberating ammonia.
This reaction is used for the laboratory preparation of ammonia.
Ca(OH)2 + 2NH4Cl CaCl2 + 2 H2O + 2 NH3
Examples of base reactions
Base + Product Example
acid salt + water potassium hydroxide + nitric acid potassium nitrate + water
(neutralisation)
acid salt + water calcium oxide + hydrochloric acid calcium chloride + water
(neutralisation)
Ammonium salt + water + calcium hydroxide + ammonium chloride calcium chloride +
ammonia
compound water + ammonia
(displacement)
pH scale:
pH scale runs from below o to 14. A substance with a pH of less than 7 is an acid, one with a
pH greater than 7 is alkaline, one with pH 7 is neutral. Water is a neutral substance.
0 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
a) Basic oxide: They are oxides of metals which produce basic solutions. They react with acids to
form salt and water.
eg. Na2O, K2O, CaO
Na2O + 2 HCl 2 NaCl + H2O
MgO + H2O Mg(OH)2
b) Acidic oxide: They are oxides of non-metals which produce acidic solutions. They react with
bases to form salt and water.
eg. CO2, NO2, SO2, SiO2, P2O5
SiO2 is insoluble in water, but will react with bases.
CO2 + 2 NaOH Na2CO3 + H2O
c) Neutral oxide: They are oxides of elements which produce neutral solutions. They do not react
with acid or alkali.
eg. NO (nitrogen monoxide), CO, H2O
d) Amphoteric oxides and hydroxides: They can react with both acids and bases. They behave
both like basic oxide and acidic oxide.
eg. ZnO or Zn(OH)2, Al2O3 or Al(OH)3, PbO or Pb(OH)2
Salts:
The product formed along with water in a neutralization reaction is called a salt. Its pH is 7. Salts can
be classified as soluble and insoluble according to its solubility in water. The following salts are
soluble
a. all nitrates are souluble
b. all common sodium, potassium and ammonium salts are soluble.
c. all chlorides except lead, silver and mercury are soluble.
d. all sulfates except lead, calcium and barium are soluble.
All carbonates except sodium , potassium and ammonium carbonates are insoluble
Steps
i. Add excess magnesium metal (or magnesium carbonate or magnesium oxide or magnesium
hydroxide) to a known volume of nitric acid.
ii. If magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide is used slight warming is necessary.
iii. Continue the addition of magnesium metal ( or magnesium carbonate) until there is no bubbles
of gas or until unreacted magnesium metal (or magnesium carbonate or magnesium oxide or
magnesium hydroxide) settles at the bottom of the container.
iv. If magnesium oxide or hydroxide is used there is no gas evolution.
v. Filter the unreacted magnesium metal(or magnesium carbonate or magnesium oxide or
magnesium hydroxide).
vi. Filtrate is evaporated to crystallization point, left to cool until crystals separate
vii. Crystals are filtered, washed with distilled water and dried.
Procedure
For example to prepare sodium chloride following steps are conducted.
eg. NaOH + HCl NaCl + H2O (phenolphthalein as indicator)
Steps
i. Dilute hydrochloric acid is taken in the burette.
ii. 25 ml of dilute sodium hydroxide is taken in the conical flask
iii. Few drops of an indicator (eg. Phenolphthalein) is added to the conical flask
iv. Now the acid is added drop by drop to the conical flask from the burette till the end point is
reached; the volume of acid is noted
v. End point is marked by the colour change of the solution from pink to colourless.
vi. The titration is repeated without using the indicator and same volume of acid is added.
viii. The solution which is produced can then be evaporated slowly crystallization point, left to cool
until crystals separate.
ix. Crystals are filtered, washed with distilled water and dried.
soluble salt (AX) + soluble salt (BY) insoluble salt (AY) + soluble salt (BX)