# Answer Key: CBSE Class 10 NCERT-Based Questions (Acids, Bases, Salts &
Reproduction)
## Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (1 Mark Each, Total 5 Marks)
1. **Which of the following is a strong acid?**
**Answer:** c) Hydrochloric acid
**Explanation:** Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid as it completely dissociates
in water, unlike acetic acid, citric acid, and formic acid, which are weak acids.
2. **What is the pH value of a neutral solution at room temperature?**
**Answer:** b) 7
**Explanation:** At room temperature (25°C), a neutral solution has a pH of 7,
indicating equal concentrations of H⁺ and OH⁻ ions.
3. **Which salt is formed when sodium hydroxide reacts with hydrochloric acid?**
**Answer:** a) Sodium chloride
**Explanation:** Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) reacts with hydrochloric acid (HCl) to
form sodium chloride (NaCl) and water (H₂O).
4. **In human reproduction, where does fertilization typically occur?**
**Answer:** c) Fallopian tube
**Explanation:** Fertilization in humans typically occurs in the fallopian tube,
where the sperm meets the egg.
5. **Which of the following is a method of asexual reproduction in plants?**
**Answer:** b) Vegetative propagation
**Explanation:** Vegetative propagation is a form of asexual reproduction in plants,
involving structures like stems, roots, or leaves, unlike pollination or fertilization,
which are sexual reproduction processes.
## Section B: Short Answer Questions (2 Marks Each, Total 10 Marks)
6. **What is an indicator? Give two examples of natural indicators used to test acids
and bases.**
**Answer:** An indicator is a substance that changes color in the presence of an
acid or a base, helping to identify their nature. Two examples of natural indicators
are:
- Litmus (turns red in acidic solutions and blue in basic solutions).
- Turmeric (turns reddish-brown in basic solutions and remains yellow in acidic
solutions).
7. **Explain why the pH of a solution changes when an acid is diluted with water.**
**Answer:** When an acid is diluted with water, the concentration of H⁺ ions
decreases due to the increase in the volume of the solution. This reduction in H⁺ ion
concentration causes the pH to increase, making the solution less acidic.
8. **Write the chemical equation for the reaction between calcium hydroxide and
nitric acid. Name the salt formed.**
**Answer:**
Chemical equation: Ca(OH)₂ + 2HNO₃ → Ca(NO₃)₂ + 2H₂O
Salt formed: Calcium nitrate
9. **Differentiate between binary fission and budding with one example each.**
**Answer:**
- **Binary fission**: A type of asexual reproduction where a single organism divides
into two equal parts, each becoming a new individual. Example: Amoeba.
- **Budding**: A type of asexual reproduction where a small outgrowth (bud) forms
on the parent organism, grows, and eventually detaches to form a new individual.
Example: Yeast.
10. **Describe the role of the placenta in human reproduction.**
**Answer:** The placenta is an organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy,
connecting the mother’s blood supply to the fetus. It provides oxygen and nutrients
to the fetus, removes waste products, and produces hormones to support pregnancy.
## Section C: Long Answer Questions (3 Marks Each, Total 9 Marks)
11. **Explain the process of neutralization with an example. Write the chemical
equation and mention the products formed.**
**Answer:** Neutralization is a chemical reaction between an acid and a base to
form a salt and water. For example, when hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium
hydroxide (NaOH), they neutralize each other.
Chemical equation: HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H₂O
Products formed: Sodium chloride (salt) and water.
12. **Describe the steps involved in the formation of sodium chloride by the reaction
of sodium hydroxide with hydrochloric acid. Include the properties of the salt
formed.**
**Answer:**
- **Steps**: Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), a base, reacts with hydrochloric acid (HCl),
an acid, in a neutralization reaction. The H⁺ ions from HCl combine with OH⁻ ions
from NaOH to form water (H₂O), while Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions combine to form sodium
chloride (NaCl).
- Chemical equation: HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H₂O
- **Properties of sodium chloride**: It is a white crystalline solid, soluble in water,
neutral in nature (pH ≈ 7), and has a high melting point.
13. **Explain the process of sexual reproduction in flowering plants, including the
role of pollen grains and ovules.**
**Answer:** Sexual reproduction in flowering plants involves pollination,
fertilization, and seed formation.
- **Pollination**: Pollen grains (male gametes) from the anther are transferred to
the stigma of a flower (self or cross-pollination).
- **Role of pollen grains**: Pollen grains contain the male gamete. After landing on
the stigma, a pollen tube grows through the style to reach the ovary.
- **Role of ovules**: Ovules, located in the ovary, contain the female gamete (egg).
The male gamete from the pollen tube fuses with the egg in the ovule during
fertilization, forming a zygote.
The zygote develops into an embryo, and the ovule becomes a seed, while the ovary
develops into a fruit.
## Section D: Case-Based Question (6 Marks)
14. **Read the following passage and answer the questions below:**
*In a chemistry lab, students conducted an experiment to test the properties of
acids and bases. They used litmus paper to test solutions of hydrochloric acid, sodium
hydroxide, and sodium chloride. They also observed the reaction between an acid and
a base, noting the formation of a salt and water. In another activity, students studied
the reproductive structures of a flower and learned about the process of pollination
and fertilization.*
a) **What would be the color change of litmus paper when dipped in hydrochloric
acid and sodium hydroxide solutions?** (2 marks)
**Answer:**
- Hydrochloric acid: Blue litmus paper turns red (as it is acidic).
- Sodium hydroxide: Red litmus paper turns blue (as it is basic).
b) **Write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction between hydrochloric
acid and sodium hydroxide. Name the products.** (2 marks)
**Answer:**
Chemical equation: HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H₂O
Products: Sodium chloride (salt) and water.
c) **Explain the role of pollination in the reproduction of flowering plants.** (2
marks)
**Answer:** Pollination is the process of transferring pollen grains from the anther
to the stigma of a flower. It is essential for sexual reproduction in flowering plants as
it enables the male gamete in the pollen to reach the female gamete in the ovule,
leading to fertilization and the formation of seeds.