Acids and bases

Acid

- An acid is any hydrogen-containing substance that is capable of donating a

proton (hydrogen ion) to another substance. 
- Typically sour
- They form solution that conducts electricity
- They react with bases to form salt and water

How will I know if a substance is an acid?

1. Looking at the chemical formula

- Most acid have H on the beginning o simula ng formula
- Inorganic acid have hydrogen (H) sa simula

Example Chemical formula

Carbonic acid (softdrinks) H2CO3
Hydrochloric acid (toilet bowl cleaner) HCl
Nitric acid(used for making fertilizers and H2NO3
explosives like fireworks)
Phosphoric acid (cheese products) H3PO4

- Organic acids have carbon and hydrogen (CH) sa simula

Example Chemical formula

Acetic acid (vinegar) C2H4O2
Ascorbic acid( vitamin c) C6H8O6
Citric acid (citrus fruit like lemon and orange) C6H8O7
Other examples:

- Lemon juice
- Orange juice
- Curd
- Tamarind
- Unripe mango
- Grapes

Example
Formic acid (CH2O2 Ant’s sting
Lactic acid (C3H6O3 Curd / milk
Oxalic acid (C2H2O4) Spinach
Tartaric acid (C4H6O6) Tamarind, grapes, unripe mangoes
They all occur in nature.

Bases (alkaline)

A base is a molecule or ion able to accept a hydrogen ion from an acid. 

 - Bitter to taste
- Soapy and slippery to touch
- Reacts with acids to form salt and water

How will I know if a substance is base?

1. Look at the chemical formula

- Most bases end in -OH or hydroxide

Example Chemical formula

Aluminum hydroxide (antacid gamut sa hyper Al(OH)3
acidity)
Calcium hydroxide ( leather) Ca(OH)2
Potassium hydroxide (soaps) KOH
Sodium hydroxide ( detergent) NaOH
Ammonium hydroxide (window cleaners) NH4OH

Neutral substance

- Any substance which is neither acidic nor basic in nature

- Example: pure water, table salt, sugar solution

Indicators

- We cannot taste every object and find its nature. Therefore, we use indicators.
- An indicator is a substance that can determine if another substance is acidic or basic in nature.
- The indicators indicate the presence of an acid or base in a substance by changing their color.

Litmus paper indicator

- A natural indicator. It is available in red and litmus paper.

- Extracted from lichens. It has a purple color in distilled water.
- When added to an acidic solution, the blue litmus paper turns red.
- When added to basic solution, the red litmus paper turns blue.

Eggplant skin indicator

- A natural indicator.
- It is made of boiled skin of an eggplant added with some alum or tawas powder.

Importance of acid and base

- Food digestion- gastric acid, an acid found in our stomach helps to break down or digest foods
that we intake or eat.
- Stomach problems- when our stomach produces too much gastric acid that causes acid reflux,
we can intake an antacid which is an example of base to neutralize the acid and to provide relief
to our stomach.
- Cleaning products- like soaps, detergent and bleach have basic and acidic properties that helps/
enhance their cleaning power.
- Vitamins – ascorbic acid commonly known as vitamin c is essential in human body.