Worksheet

Acids and Bases

Activity

Learning Objectives
Students are able to
(a) describe the meanings of the terms acid and alkali in terms of the ions they produce
in aqueous solution and their effects on Universal Indicator
(b) describe how to test hydrogen ion concentration and hence relative acidity using
Universal Indicator and the pH scale
(c) describe qualitatively the difference between strong and weak acids in terms of the
extent of ionisation

(d) describe the characteristic properties of acids as in reactions with metals, bases and
carbonates
(e) state the uses of sulfuric acid in the manufacture of detergents and fertilisers; and
as a battery acid
(f) describe the reaction between hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions to produce water,
H+ + OH–  H2O as neutralisation
(g) describe the importance of controlling the pH in soils and how excess acidity can be
treated using calcium hydroxide
(h) describe the characteristic properties of bases as in reactions with acids and with
ammonium salts
(i) classify oxides as acidic, basic, amphoteric or neutral based on metallic/non-
metallic character

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1 Answer the following about acid and alkali.

(a) What is an acid?

A substance that when dissolved in water, produces hydrogen ions.

……………………………………………..……………………………………. [1]

(b) Write the chemical name and formula of one acid that consists of 3 elements.

name sulfuric acid / nitric acid formula H2SO4 / HNO3 [2]

(c) What is an alkali?

A soluble base (or a substance) which dissolves in water to produce hydroxide

ions.
……………………………………………..……………………………………. [1]

(d) Write the chemical name and formula of one alkali that consists of 3 elements.

name sodium hydroxide formula NaOH [2]

2 The chart shows the pH values of five solutions, A, B, C, D and E.

solution A B C D E
pH 5 12 7 1 14

(a) State which of the solutions is

(i) the most acidic: D (ii) a weak alkali: B

(iii) the most alkaline: E (iv) water: C [4]

(b) State the colour of Universal Indicator in the following solutions.

(i) C: green (ii) D: red (iii) E: purple/violet [3]

(c) Which solution, D or E, contains the highest concentration of hydrogen ions?

D [1]

(d) A students commented that solution C does not contain any hydrogen ions, do
you agree? Explain why.

No. solution C is neutral, it has equal concentration of hydrogen ions and

hydroxide ions.

……………………………………………..……………………………………. [1]

2
3 The pH value of the saliva in a student’s mouth was measured and found to be 6.9.
The measurement was repeated at 5-minute intervals after the student ate an apple.
The results are shown in the table below.

time/min 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
pH 6.9 5.5 4.7 4.2 4.5 5.4 6.3 6.6 6.8

(a) On a graph paper, plot this information to show the changes of pH against
time. Draw a smooth curve through the points. [4]

pH
8

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

(b) Use the graph to estimate

(i) The minimum pH value reached by the saliva. 4.2 [1]

(ii) The time taken for the saliva to return to the original pH value.

30 min [1]

(c) What type of compound must be present in apples to give these results?

acidic [1]

4 A student carried out some experiments to compare the relative strength of dilute
ethanoic acid with dilute hydrochloric acid.

(a) Describe a test that can be used to distinguish between dilute ethanoic acid
and dilute hydrochloric acid.

Add a few drops of Universal Indicator into the solution.[1]

If the solution turns red, it is dilute hydrochloric acid. If the solution turns orange
or yellow, it is dilute ethanoic acid. [1] [2]

3
 (b) Explain, using ideas about ions, why the two acids behave differently.

Ethanoic acid is a weak acid which partially dissociates / ionises to give low
concentration of hydrogen ions. [1]
As for hydrochloric acid, it is a strong acid which completely dissociates to give
a high concentration of hydrogen ions. [1] [2]

(c) Name a solid substance that will react with both acids. Describe what you will
see during the reaction.

substance magnesium [1]

observation effervescence will occur. [1]

5 Name all the products formed in each of the reaction below. [4]

(a) zinc + hydrochloric acid  zinc chloride + hydrogen

(b) potassium hydroxide + sulfuric acid  potassium sulfate + water

(c) zinc carbonate + nitric acid  zinc nitrate + carbon dioxide + water

(d) magnesium oxide + hydrochloric acid  magnesium chloride + water

6 Dilute sodium hydroxide reacts with dilute sulfuric acid to form sodium sulfate and
water.

(a) Name the type of reaction that occurred between dilute sodium hydroxide and
dilute sulfuric acid.

neutralisation [1]

(b) Write an ionic equation for this reaction.

H+(aq) + OH¯(aq) → H2O(l) [1]

(c) Sulfuric acid can be used as an electrolyte in car battery. State two other
common uses of sulfuric acid.

1. manufacture of fertilisers
2. manufacture of detergents
[1]
7 Ammonium phosphate has the formula (NH4)3PO4. It is commonly used by farmers
as a fertiliser for healthy plant growth. Calcium hydroxide is another common
substance added to the soil by farmers. However, farmers do not add calcium
hydroxide to soil that had already added with fertilisers.

(a) Why is calcium hydroxide added to soil?

To reduce the acidity of the soil thus increasing its pH. [1]

4
 (b) Explain why is it important for farmers not to add calcium hydroxide to soil that
have been treated with ammonium phosphate fertiliser?

Calcium hydroxide will react with ammonium phosphate to produce ammonia.

Ammonia is a gas at room temperature and pressure and it will escape into the
atmosphere, this will reduce the percentage of nitrogen available for plants to
grow. [2]

(c) Support your explanation in part (b) with a chemical equation.

3Ca(OH)2 + 2(NH4)3PO4 → Ca3(PO4)2 + 6NH3 + 6H2O [1]

8 The table shows some information about the oxides of the elements A to E. The
letters are not the symbols of the elements.

element physical state at r.t.p of type of oxide bonding in oxide

oxide
A solid basic ionic
B solid acidic covalent
C liquid neutral covalent
D gas neutral covalent
E gas acidic covalent

(a) Which one of the elements A to E could be

(i) sodium A

(ii) silicon B

(iii) sulfur E [3]

(b) Suggest an identity of element C. hydrogen [1]

(c) Name one other type of oxide not mentioned in the question.

Amphoteric oxide [1]

5
9 Magnesium oxide, MgO, is used to make many medicines. It is made from
magnesite mineral by the processes shown in the flow chart. Magnesite contains
75% magnesium carbonate, MgCO3.

waste gas B
crushed magnesite reaction A
concentrated
dilute magnesium
dilute sulfuric acid magnesium
sulfate solution
sulfate solution

liquid waste magnesium

hydroxide
suspension reactant C
solid magnesium
hydroxide
pure magnesium oxide
reaction D

waste water vapour

(a) Write a chemical equation, including state symbols, for reaction A.

MgCO3(s) + H2SO4(aq) → MgSO4(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l) [1]

(b) Give the name and formula of the main gas in waste gas B.

Carbon dioxide, CO2 [2]

**(c) Name reactant C.

Sodium hydroxide [1]

(d) Write a chemical equation, including state symbols, for reaction D.

Mg(OH)2(s) → MgO(s) + H2O(g) [1]

(e) Magnesium chloride is also commonly used to make medicines. It can be

made by reacting solid magnesium oxide with substance E. [2]

(i) Name substance E.

hydrochloric acid

(ii) Write a chemical equation for the reaction between magnesium oxide and
substance E.

MgO(s) + 2HCl(aq)  MgCl2(aq) + H2O(l)

6
10 Acid-base titration can be used to establish the concentration of an acid or alkali by
determining the volume of a standard alkali or acid required to neutralise it. A
suitable indicator must change colour close to the end-point of the titration, and this
may not necessarily be at pH 7. The correct choice of indicator is one in which the
change-over point for the indicator coincides with the end-point of the titration.

Most indicators change colour over a range of pH and the ranges for some common
indicators are shown in the table below.

indicator change-over pH range colour change

bromothymol blue 6.0 ̶ 7.6 yellow to blue
congo red 3.0 ̶ 5.0 blue to red
methyl orange 3.1 ̶ 4.4 red to yellow
thymolphthalein 8.3 ̶ 10.5 colourless to blue
methyl violet 0.0 ̶ 3.0 yellow to violet

(a) A student conducts a titration of aqueous sodium hydroxide against aqueous

ethanoic acid. The changes in the pH against aqueous sodium hydroxide
added are shown in the graph below.

(i) Name a suitable indicator for this titration.

thymolphthalein [1]

(ii) What is the pH of ethanoic acid?

3 [1]

7
(b) The student wants to make use of titration method to prepare some crystals of
hydrated sodium sulfate. He has decided to use a strong acid and a strong
alkali in the titration. The changes in pH during the titration are shown in the
graph below.

(i) Name suitable strong acid and strong alkali for this titration.

strong acid sulfuric acid [1]

strong alkali sodium hydroxide [1]

(ii) Name the indicator that is not suitable for this titration? Explain why.

Methyl violet. This is because there will not be any colour change when
sodium hydroxide is added / at the end-point.

……………………………………………………………………………. [2]

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(c) The student was given a task to conduct a titration involves sodium carbonate
solution and dilute hydrochloric acid.
He adds a few drops of indicator A into sodium carbonate solution in a conical
flask and titrates the mixture with dilute hydrochloric acid until the indicator
changes colour. He then adds another indicator B and continues the titration
until indicator B changes colour.

This reaction takes place in 2 stages.

Stage 1: Na2CO3(aq) + HCl(aq)  NaHCO3(aq) + NaCl(aq)

Stage 2: NaHCO3(aq) + HCl(aq)  NaCl(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)

The graph below shows the pH changes during the titration of sodium
carbonate solution with dilute hydrochloric acid. There are two end-points.

Identify, from the indicator table, indicator A and indicator B the student used
in this titration. Predict the colour changes that have taken place.

indicator A thymolphthalein colour change from colourless to blue

indicator B methyl orange colour change from red to yellow

[2]
[2013 Greendale EOY Exam]

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Note Taking
Acids and Bases
Notes

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