2.
0 CHEMISTRY
2.3 Acids, bases and salts
Objectives
By the end of the subtopic, learners should be able to:
Describe an acid-base reaction.
Acid-base reaction
An acid is a substance that turns blue litmus paper red, and a base is a substance that turns
red litmus to blue.
Examples of acids are: hydrochloric acid (HCI), sulphuric acid (H2SO4), citric acid (C6H8O7),
vinegar and many more.
Bases include sodium hydroxide solution(NaOH) and ammonia (NH3)
Fig2.3.1: acids and bases.
When an acid and a base are placed together, they react to neutralise (remove) the acid
and base properties.
An acid and a base combine/react when they are mixed to produce salt and water
An acid-base reaction is a reaction that occurs when an acid and a base combine to form a
salt and water. It is also called neutralisation.
Neutralisation is a reaction when an acid and a base react to form a salt and water
Fig 2.3.2: Acids and bases combine to give salt and water
The following shows an acid-base reaction:
Experiment 2.3.1: To demonstrate acid and base reaction.
Materials:
1 molar hydrochloric dilute acid(acid) 2 measuring cylinders
1 molar sodium hydroxide burner
solution(base) tripod stand
two beakers filter paper
3 litmus papers stirring rod
Procedure:
NB: Concentration can also determined using molars .All the solutions have the same
concentration of 1molar
Precaution: quickly rinse the acid or base with water as soon as it gets on your skin.
1. Measure 20cm3 of hydrochloric acid into a beaker using a measuring cylinder, and dip in a
litmus paper.
2. Use the other measuring cylinder to pour another 20cm3 of sodium hydroxide into the acid,
dip the second litmus paper.
3. Mix the hydrochloric acid and the sodium hydroxide solutions, be careful not to spill the
solutions, dip in the third litmus paper.
4. Heat the solution in the beaker using a burner until the volume is less than one quarter.
5. Put the heated solution near a window until the few days
6. Remove the liquid from the beaker to leave some solid crystals
7. Dry the crystals between two filter papers.
Observation questions
1. What is the colour change on the litmus paper dipped in the hydrochloric acid?
2. What is the colour change on the litmus paper dipped in sodium hydroxide solution?
3. What happened to the colour of the litmus paper dipped in the mixture of the acid and the
base?
4. Describe the appearance of the solid crystals.
The experiment above demonstrates that when an acid reacts with a base they both lose
their properties.
The litmus paper in an acid changes colour to red while a litmus paper in a base change
colour to blue
When both the acid and the base are mixed they both lose their properties, they will not
change the colour of the litmus paper.
The solid crystals formed are a salt; a salt does not change the colour of the litmus paper.
The liquid that was evaporated was water; water does not change the colour of the litmus
paper.
Some salts formed from reaction of acids and bases are not soluble, they can be removed
by filtration.
The word equation for the reaction is:
The name of the salt is given from the acid and the base used for example:
Hydrochloric acid forms chloride salts:
Hydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide → Sodium chloride + water
Sulphuric acid forms sulphate salts:
Sulphuric acid + Sodium hydroxide→ Sodium sulphate + water
Nitric acid forms nitrate salts:
Nitric acid + Sodium hydroxide → Sodium nitrate + water