Acids, bases and salts
Acidsacids: Corrosive substances which have a pH lower than 7.
Acidity is caused by a high concentration of hydrogen ions. have a pH
of less than 7. Basesbases: Substances with a pH higher than 7,
and which have a high concentration of hydroxyl ions. Bases react
with acids to form a salt and water (called neutralisation). Metal
hydroxides, oxides and carbonates are all bases. have a pH of more
than 7. When bases are dissolved in water, they are known
asalkalisalkalis: Bases which are soluble in water..
Saltssalts: class of chemical compounds, mostly metallic oxides.
Examples are sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and magnesium
sulphate are made when an acid reacts with a base, carbonate or
metal. The name of the salt formed depends on the metal in the
base and the acid used. For example, salts made using
hydrochloric acid are called chlorides.
Acids and bases
You will have already learnt quite a lot about acids and bases in Key
Stage 3 Science. If you feel a bit rusty on this topic, have a quick look
at KS3 Bitesize Chemistry Acids and bases. Here are the bare
bones of what you need to know:
Acids
Substances with a pH of less than 7 are acids. The stronger the acid,
the lower the pH number. Acids turn blue litmus paper red. They turn
universal indicator red if they are strong, and orange or yellow if they
are weak.
Bases
Substances that can react with acids and neutralise them to make a
salt and water are called bases. They are usually metal oxides or
metal hydroxides. For example, copper oxide and sodium hydroxide
are bases.
Alkalis
Bases that dissolve in water are called alkalis. Copper oxide is not an
alkali because it does not dissolve in water. Sodium hydroxide is an
alkali because it does dissolve in water.
Alkaline solutions have a pH of more than 7. The stronger the alkali,
the higher the pH number. Alkalis turn red litmus paper blue. They
turn universal indicator dark blue or purple if they are strong, and
blue-green if they are weak.
Neutral solutions
Neutral solutions have a pH of 7. They do not change the colour of
litmus paper, but they turn universal indicator green. Water is neutral.
Reactions of acids
You need to be able to describe the reactions of acids with bases,
carbonates and metals. You should be able to work out the particular
salt formed in the reaction.
Acids and bases
When acids react with bases, a saltsalt: A compound formed by
neutralisation of an acid by a base (eg a metal oxide) - the result of
hydrogen atoms in the acid being replaced by metal atoms or positive
ions. Sodium chloride - common salt - is one such compound. and
water are made. This reaction is calledneutralisation. In general:
acid + metal oxide → salt + water
acid + metal hydroxide → salt + water
Remember that most bases do not dissolve in water. But if a base can
dissolve in water, it is also called an alkali.
Carbonates
When acids react with carbonates, such as calcium carbonate (found
in chalk, limestone and marble), a salt, water and carbon dioxide are
made. In general:
acid + metal carbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide
Notice that an extra product - carbon dioxide - is made. It causes
bubbling during the reaction, and can be detected using limewater.
You usually see this reaction if you study the effects of acid rain on
rocks and building materials.
Reactive metals
Acids will react with reactive metals, such as magnesium and zinc, to
make a saltsalt: A compound formed by neutralisation of an acid by a
base (eg a metal oxide) - the result of hydrogen atoms in the acid
being replaced by metal atoms or positive ions. Sodium chloride -
common salt - is one such [Link] hydrogen. In general:
acid + metal → salt + hydrogen
The hydrogen causes bubbling during the reaction, and can be
detected using a lighted splint. You usually see this reaction if you
study the reactivity series of metals.
Acids, alkalis and neutralisation - higher
When atoms [atoms: An atom is the smallest part of an element that
still has the properties of that element, comprising electrons
surrounding a nucleus of protons and neutrons. ] or groups of atoms
lose or gain electrons [electrons: Sub-atomic particles, with a
negative charge and a negligible mass relative to protons and
neutrons. ], charged particles called ionsare formed. Ions can be
either positively or negatively charged.
For the Higher Tier, you need to know which ions are produced by
acids, and which are produced by alkalis. You will also need to know
the ionic equation for neutralisationneutralisation:Neutralisation is
the reaction between an acid and a base to form a salt plus water..
Acids
When acids dissolve in water they produce hydrogen ions, H+. For
example, looking at hydrochloric acid:
HCl(aq) → H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
Remember that (aq) means the substance is in solution.
Alkalis
When alkalis dissolve in water they produce hydroxide ions, OH-. For
example, looking at sodium hydroxide:
NaOH(aq) → Na+(aq) + OH-(aq)
Ammonia is slightly different. This is the equation for ammonia in
solution:
NH3(aq) + H2O(l) → (aq) + OH-(aq)
Be careful to write OH- and not Oh-.
Neutralisation reaction
When the H+ ions from an acid react with the OH- ions from an alkali, a
neutralisation reaction occurs to form water. This is the equation for
the reaction:
H+(aq) + OH-(aq) → H2O(l)
If you look at the equations above for sodium hydroxide and
hydrochloric acid, you will see that there are Na+ ions and Cl-ions left
over. These form sodium chloride, NaCl.
Salt preparation
You need to be able to work out which particular saltsalt: A compound
formed by neutralisation of an acid by a base (eg a metal oxide) - the
result of hydrogen atoms in the acid being replaced by metal atoms or
positive ions. Sodium chloride - common salt - is one such
compound. is made in a reaction. You may be asked to describe how
to make a salt.
Naming salts
The name of a salt has two parts. The first part comes from the metal
in the basebase: A substance with a pH higher than 7, and which has
a high concentration of hydroxyl ions. Bases react with acids to form a
salt and water (called neutralisation). Metal hydroxides, oxides and
carbonates are all bases. or carbonate, or the metal itself if a reactive
metal like magnesium or zinc is used.
The second part of the name comes from the acid used to make it.
The names of salts made from hydrochloric acid end in -chloride,
while the names of salts made from sulfuric acid end in-sulfate.
Formation of salts
Metal Acid Salt
sodiumhydroxid reacts hydrochloricaci to sodium
e with d make chloride
copper oxide reacts hydrochloricaci to copper
with d make chloride
sodiumhydroxid reacts sulfuric acid to sodium sulfate
e with make
zinc oxide reacts sulfuric acid to zinc sulfate
with make
Ammonia forms ammonium salts when it reacts with acids.
Therefore:
ammonia reacts with hydrochloric acid to make ammonium
chloride
Making salts
If the base dissolves in water, you need to add just enough acid to
make a neutral solution - check a small sample with universal
indicator paper - then evaporateevaporate: Evaporation is a change
in state in which a liquid becomes a gas (vapour); molecules near the
surface of a liquid may leave the liquid to become a vapour. the water.
You get larger crystals if you evaporate the water slowly.
Copper oxide, and other transition metal oxides or hydroxides, do not
dissolve in water. If the base does not dissolve in water, you need an
extra step. You add the base to the acid until no more will dissolve
and you have some base left over (called an excess). You filter the
mixture to remove the excess base, then evaporate the water in
the filtratefiltrate: Filtrate is fluid that has passed through a filter. to
leave the salt behind.