5

Acids, Bases and Salts

Expected Learning Outcomes

Knowledge to be gained: •Acids and bases •Natural and synthetic indicators •Properties and uses
of acids •Properties and uses of bases • Salts
Skill to be developed: •Testing the acidic or basic nature of substances using indicators.
Attitude to be inculcated: •Mineral acids and bases should be handled with extreme care
•Excessive pollution can cause acid rains
We all are familiar with the sour, bitter and salty We nd that some of these substances taste sour,
tastes of different edible substances. Let us list some taste bitter, some taste salty and some taste
some of these common substances and their sweet.
tastes in the table given below. e sour, bitter and salty tastes of these
Substances Taste substances are due to the acidic, basic and salty
Lemon juice nature of these substances. Many of these
Orange juice substances are sour in taste; that is because they
Vinegar contain some form of acid in them. Many acids
Curd
occur naturally in sour substances, like curd,
Tamarind (imli)
citrus fruits, tamarind, etc. On the other hand,
Common salt
substances that taste bitter generally contain
Amla
Baking soda
bases in them. For example: Baking soda tastes
Unripen mango bitter and is basic, whereas lime juice tastes sour
Sugar and is acidic.
Grapes In this chapter, we will study about acids, bases
Cucumber and salts. ese are three important groups of
62 Exploring Science-7
chemical substances which are useful to us in
many ways. In our everyday life, we use a base
like baking soda to make bread, common salt to
add taste to our food, and acid like lemon juice
to make lemonade.
ACIDS AND BASES
e word ‘acid’ comes from the Latin word,
‘acere’, which means ‘sour’. All sour-tasting
materials contain acids. e chemical nature of
these substances is said to be acidic. us,
substances having a sour taste are acidic in
nature. Examples of substances containing
acids are: curd, lemon juice, orange juice,
vinegar, etc. e acids found in these substances
are natural acids. e table below lists some of
the common natural acids and the substances
which contain these acids.
Name of acids Found in substances
Formic acid Ant’s sting
Acetic acid Vinegar
Citric acid Citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, etc.)
Lactic acid Milk, curd
Ascorbic acid Amla
Tartaric acid Unripen mango, tamarind, etc.
Oxalic acid Spinach, guava, tomato
Natural Acids (Organic acids) can be found in
nature. ey are the acids obtained from living
things such as animals and plants. On the other
hand, Mineral acids (Inorganic acids) are the
acids formed using minerals. For example:
sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄), hydrochloric acid
(HCl), nitric acid (HNO₃), etc., are mineral
acids. Turmeric, Litmus, China rose petals (Gudhal),
Mineral acids are generally strong acids. etc., are some of the naturally occurring
Some acids can be so strong that they can indicators. Phenolphthalein is a synthetic
burn our skin, if touched. Organic acids are indicator.
Acids, Bases and Salts
generally weak acids.
Apart from the acidic taste (sour), some
substances taste bitter. For example: The taste of
baking soda is bitter. On rubbing the aqueous
solution of baking soda between ngers, we feel
soapy. ese types of substances which are bitter
in taste and feel soapy on touching are called
bases. us, substances which taste bitter and
feel soapy on touching are basic in nature.
Examples of substances containing bases are:
Soap, baking soda, etc. e chemical nature of
these substances is said to be basic. Some of the
common bases and the substances which
contain these bases are listed below.
Names of bases Found in substances
Sodium hydroxide and
Soap
Potassium hydroxide
Calcium hydroxide Limewater
Magnesium hydroxide Milk of magnesia
Ammonium hydroxide Window-cleaner
INDICATORS: TESTING FOR ACIDS
AND BASES
We cannot taste every substance as all
substances are not edible. In such cases, the
nature of substances can be determined by the
use of special type of substances called
indicators. An indicator is a substance which
tells whether a solution is acidic or basic, by
changing its colour. For example: Litmus paper
acts as an indicator by changing its colour to
either red or blue, when it comes in contact with
an acid or a base.
Indicators can be natural or synthetic.
63
Natural Indicators Around Us litmus paper and red litmus paper.
Litmus: A natural dye u Blue litmus paper turns red when dipped in

u Litmus is the most commonly used natural
indicator.
u It is extracted from lichens.
u It has a purple colour in distilled water
(neutral water).
u It is available in the form of a solution, or in the
form of strips of paper, known as litmus paper.
u Litmus paper is made by drying litmus
solution on neutral paper.
u It is generally, available in two colours: Blue
an acidic solution and red litmus paper
turns blue when dipped in a basic solution.
Fig.1 Red and blue litmus papers
Let us perform the following activity to test the
acidic or basic nature of various solutions using
litmus paper.

Activity-1
Aim: To test the acidic or basic nature of various solutions.
Materials required: Solutions mentioned in the table below, glass tumblers, pieces of red litmus
and blue litmus paper, and a dropper.
Procedure: Put drops of solutions given below in the table on the strips of red and blue litmus
paper, with the help of a dropper.
Observation: Observe the change in colours of the blue and red litmus papers when various
solutions are dropped onto them.
Record your observations in the table given below.
Solutions Red litmus strip Blue litmus strip Conclusion
Tapwater
Detergent solution Turns blue No change Basic
Aerated drinks
Soap solution
Shampoo
Common salt solution
Sugar solution
Vinegar
Baking soda solution
Milk of magnesia
Washing soda solution
Lime water
Lemon juice No change Turns red Acidic

Conclusion: (1) Acids turn blue litmus paper to red (Fig.2).

(2) Bases turn red litmus paper to blue (Fig.3).
64 Exploring Science-7
 Blue litmus Red litmus
paper paper
turns red turns blue

Acid Base

Fig.2 Acids turn blue litmus paper red Fig.3 Bases turn red litmus paper blue

Turmeric: A natural indicator and deep pink (magenta) in acidic

u Turmeric (haldi) can also be used as an
indicator.
u It is the most commonly used spice in our
kitchen.
u Turmeric naturally contains a yellow dye,
which changes its colour when it comes in
contact with a basic solution.
u Its colour remains yellow in acidic
solution and brick red in basic solution.
Let us prepare the turmeric paper from
turmeric powder in the following activity.
Activity-2
Take a tablespoonful of turmeric powder. Add a
little water and make a paste. Make turmeric
paper by depositing turmeric paste on blotting
paper/ lter paper and drying it. Cut thin strips
of the yellow paper obtained. Put a drop of soap
solution on the strip of turmeric paper. What do
you observe?
solution.
Let us prepare the China rose indicator from the
China rose ower in the following activity.
Activity-3
Collect some China rose (Gudhal) petals and
place them in a beaker. Add some warm water.
Keep the mixture for some time till the water
becomes light pink in colour. Use the coloured
water as an indicator.
Add ve drops of the indicator to each of the
solutions given in the table. What is the effect
of the indicator on acidic, basic and neutral
solutions?
China rose indicator turns acidic solutions to
dark pink (magenta) and basic solutions to
green.
Acid Indicator Base

China rose: Another natural indicator

u China rose (Gudhal) is also a natural
indicator.
u It is extracted from the red owers of China
rose plant with warm water.
u Its colour is light pink in neutral solution
which changes to green in basic solution Fig.4 China rose

Acids, Bases and Salts 65

 Change in the colour of solutions
Indicators
Basic Neutral Acidic
Litmus Blue Violet Red
Turmeric Brick red Yellow Yellow
China rose Green Light pink Dark pink/Magenta
Methyl orange Yellow Orange Red
Phenolphthalein Pink Colourless Colourless

Synthetic Indicators u Concentrated acids contain little or no

Methyl orange and Phenolphthalein water dissolved in them. For example:

Concentrated hydrochloric acid consists of
Methyl orange and phenolphthalein are the
hydrogen chloride gas dissolved in a small
two most commonly used synthetic
quantity of water.
indicators. e table above shows the colours of
u If maximum amount of acidic gas is
both natural and synthetic indicators in basic,
neutral and acidic media. dissolved in minimum amount of water, the
concentration of the resulting solution
CLASSIFICATION OF ACIDS
is maximum and this solution is a
Acids can be classi ed as mineral acids and concentrated solution.
organic acids.
u A dilute solution can be prepared by slowly
u Hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulphuric acid
adding the acid to more water and
(H₂SO₄) and nitric acid (HNO₃) are mineral
continuously stirring it.
acids. ese are strong acids.
u erefore, the amount of water present in an
u Mineral acids were invented in laboratories
acid determines how concentrated or dilute
and are mass-produced in industries. ey
the acid is.
are also used in laboratories to perform
science experiments, and are therefore u Di lute acids are less har mf u l t han

known as laboratory acids. concentrated acids.

u Naturally occurring acids like formic acid,
acetic acid, lactic acid, etc., are organic acids.
ese are weak acids.
u Acids can also be classi ed as concentrated
and dilute acids.
u Concentrated mineral acids can be very
strong, i.e., they can be dangerous. ey can
cause serious skin burns if we come in
contact with them directly.
66 Exploring Science-7
One can prepare the dilute solution of different
strengths by slowly adding the requisite amount
of concentrated acid in a xed amount of water.
Acids should be added to water to make them
dilute, not vice versa. If water is added to a
concentrated acid, it can react vigorously and
cause an explosion. Even dilute solutions of
strong acids can be dangerous. So, acids should
be handled with care.
Properties of Acid
Following are some of the physical properties of
acids:
u Acids are sour in taste.
u Acids turn blue litmus paper red.
u Acidic solution conducts electricity.
u Acids are corrosive in nature. ey corrode
metals like iron and aluminium. Due to its
corrosive nature, acids are not stored in
metal containers. Glass containers are used
to store the acids.
u Acids are soluble in nature. ey are readily
soluble in water and produce a lot of heat.
Heat is given out when acids are diluted.
u Acids react with bases to form salt and water.
Uses of Acids
Concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl),
sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) and nitric acid (HNO₃)
are used in a large number of metallurgical
operations, manufacturing of fertilisers and
preparation of a large number of industrial
chemicals. ese acids are also used in
laboratories. Following are some of the
important uses of these acids.
Hydrochloric acid (HCl)
u It is used in the textile and dyeing industries.
u It is used to prepare aqua regia (3 parts conc.
HCl and 1 part conc. HNO₃) to dissolve
metals like gold and platinum.
u It is used in the manufacturing of chlorides
and chlorine.
u It is also used in medicine.
u It is used to remove scales (deposits) formed
inside boilers. is process is called descaling.
Acids, Bases and Salts
Sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄)
u It is used in storage batteries.
u It is used in the textile, paper and dyeing
industries.
u It is used in re ning petroleum.
u It is used in the manufacturing of fertilisers
like ammonium sulphate and calcium
superphosphate.
u It is used in the manufacturing of other
acids like nitric acid, hydrochloric acid,
phosphoric acid, etc.
u It is used in the manufacturing of explosives.
u It is used for cleaning metals before
enamelling, electroplating, galvanizing, etc.
Nitric acid (HNO₃)
u It is used along with HCl to prepare aqua
regia.
u It is used in the puri cation of gold and
silver.
u It is used in the manufacturing of arti cial
silk, dyes, medicines and perfumes.
u It is used in the manufacturing of explosives
like dynamite, trinitrotoluene (TNT),
nitroglycerine, picric acid, etc.
u It is used in the manufacturing of fertilisers
like ammonium nitrate.
Knowledge Booster
Each cell in our body contains an acid, the
deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. It controls every
feature of the body such as our looks, colour of
our eyes, our height, etc. Proteins that build part
of our cells are also made of amino acids. The
fats in our body contain fa y acids.
67
CLASSIFICATION OF BASES
Bases can be classi ed as strong and weak bases.
Following are the examples of strong and weak
bases:
Strong Bases
u Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
u Potassium hydroxide (KOH), etc.
Like strong acids, strong bases are also very
dangerous and can burn our skin.
Weak Bases
u Magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)₂)
u Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂)
u Ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH), etc.
Properties of Bases
u Bases have a bitter taste and feel soapy to the
touch.
u ey turn red litmus paper blue.
u Bases react with acids to form salt and water.
u Bases are oxides or hydroxides of metals, i.e.,
metals react with oxygen or water to form
bases.
u Basic solutions can also conduct electricity.
u All bases are not water-soluble.
Uses of Bases
Uses of some of the important bases are as
follows:
Calcium hydroxide: It is a weak base and is
commonly known as slaked lime.
u It is an important constituent of many
pesticides used in agriculture.
u It is used for neutralising acidic soil.
Sometimes, due to excessive use of chemical
fertilisers, soil becomes acidic and does not
68 Exploring Science-7
support plant growth. Quick lime (calcium
oxide) or slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) is
added in such cases to neutralise acidic soil.
u It is used as a substitute for cement in low-
cost construction.
u It is used in the whitewashing of buildings.
u It is used to manufacture bleaching powder.
u It is used in the treatment of wastewater.
Wastewater, which is acidic in nature, is
normally treated with calcium hydroxide
before it is disposed of into water bodies.
Sodium hydroxide: It is a strong base and is
commonly known as caustic soda. Its
important uses are as follows:
u It is used in laboratories for the absorption of
gases like CO₂, SO₂, etc.
u It is used in the re ning of vegetable oils.
u It is used in the manufacturing of paper,
rayon, soap and arti cial bres.
u It is used in the puri cation of petroleum.
Potassium hydroxide: It is commonly known
as caustic potash. Its important uses are as
follows:
u It is used as an absorbent for CO₂.
u It is used in the manufacturing of so soap.
u It is used in the preparation of biodiesels.
Magnesium hydroxide: It is also known as
milk of magnesia. It is used as an antacid. It
neutralises the excessive acid in the stomach.
Ammonium hydroxide:
Its important uses are as follows:
u It is used in the manufacture of household
cleaners and many other chemicals.
u It is used in the manufacture of ammonium
nitrate fertiliser.
u It is used to manufacture nylons, plastics, Alkalis
dyes, etc.
Unlike, all acids, all bases are not water-soluble.
u It is used as an ink remover to remove ink
Water-soluble bases are called alkalis .
spots from clothes.
Examples of alkalis are, sodium hydroxide,
OTHER BASES potassium hydroxide, etc.
ere are several other bases like sodium Remember, all alkalis are bases, but all bases
carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, etc., which also are not alkalis.
have several important uses. We will learn
about them in higher classes.

Checkpoint-1
Answer the following
1. Write any two properties of acids.
2. Write any two properties of bases.
3. What is known as milk of magnesia? What is it used for?

NEUTRALISATION For example:

When an acid reacts with a base, they HCl + NaOH NaCl + H₂O + Heat
neutralises each other’s chemical properties (Hydrochloric (Sodium (Sodium (Water)
acid) hydroxide) chloride)
to form a salt. e reaction in which an acid
When hydrochloric acid (HCl) is treated with
reacts with a base to form salt and water is
sodium hydroxide (NaOH), a neutralisation
called neutralisation. When an acid solution
reaction takes place to produce sodium chloride
and a base solution are mixed in a suitable
(NaCl) mixed in water (H₂O). Sodium chloride is
amount, the acidic nature of the acid and the
the salt produced in this reaction. It can easily be
basic nature of the base are destroyed. e
separated from the solution by evaporating the
resulting solution is neither acidic nor basic.
water. Sodium chloride is the same salt we use in
us, the neutralisation reaction has taken
our food. For this reason, sodium chloride is
place.
also known as common salt.
In an acid-base neutralisation reaction, the
end products are salt and water. In addition,
Activity-4
heat is also evolved in the neutralisation
reactions which can be con rmed by touching To be demonstrated by the teacher in the class.
the test tube immediately aer neutralisation. Fill one-fourth of a test tube with dilute
e evolved heat raises the temperature of the hydrochloric acid. Note down its colour. Note
reaction mixture. Some heat is always evolved down the colour of the phenolphthalein
in a neutralisation reaction. solution also. Add 2–3 drops of the indicator
Acid + Base Salt + Water + (Heat is evolved) (phenolphthalein solution) to the acid. Now,

Acids, Bases and Salts 69

shake the test tube gently. Do you observe any
change in the colour of the acid?
Add to the acidic solution a drop of sodium
hydroxide solution by a dropper.
Dropper
Test Sodium hydroxide
tube solution(base)
Hydrochloric acid Light pink
+ colour
Phenolphthalein
indicator
(colourless)
Fig.5 A neutralisation reaction
Observation: As we keep adding more
sodium hydroxide (base) to the acid solution,
the colourless acidic solution starts turning
light pink. When more base is added, the
indicator (phenolphthalein) turns pink.
If we touch the test tube immediately aer
neutralisation, we can feel that the test tube
has turned hot, indicating the release of energy
during the neutralisation reaction.
Neutralisations in Everyday Life
Treatment of indigestion
Hydrochloric acid is produced in the stomach
to digest the food. But if too much acid is
produced in the stomach, it causes indigestion.
Indigestion is also referred to as acidity or gas
colloquially.
Indigestion can be treated by taking antacids
like milk of magnesia , which contains
magnesium hydroxide. It neutralises the effect
of excessive acid produced in our stomach.
Baking soda (which contains sodium hydrogen
carbonate) can also be used as an antacid.
70 Exploring Science-7
Fig.6 Milk of magnesia is used to treat indigestion
Ant bite treatment
When an ant bites, it injects an acidic liquid
(formic acid) into the skin. e sting of an ant
bite can cause severe itching and burning pain
to the person. e effect of the acid can be
neutralised by rubbing moist baking soda
(sodium hydrogen carbonate) or calamine
solution, which contains zinc carbonate.
Soil treatment
Excessive use of chemical fertilisers makes the
soil acidic. Plants do not grow well when the soil
is either too acidic or too basic. When the soil is
too acidic, it is treated with bases like quicklime
(calcium oxide) or slaked lime (calcium
hydroxide).
If the soil is too basic, organic matter is added to
it. Organic matter releases acids which
neutralise the basic nature of the soil.
Factory wastes treatment
e wastes of many factories contain acids. If
they are allowed to ow into the water bodies,
the acids will kill sh and other aquatic
organisms. e factory wastes are, therefore,
neutralised by adding basic substances, like
calcium hydroxide.
 SALTS In the name ‘sodium chloride’, sodium comes
A salt is a compound formed by the from the base, ‘sodium hydroxide’ and chloride
neutralisation of an acid with a base. is derived from the acid, ‘hydrochloric acid’. In
fact, all salts formed using hydrochloric acid are
Acid + Base Salt + Water
called chlorides.
HCl + NaOH NaCl + H₂O
Similarly:
H₂SO₄ + NaOH NaHSO₄ + H₂O
(i) Salts of hydrochloric acid (HCl) are
H₂SO₄ + 2NaOH Na₂SO₄ + 2H₂O called chlorides.
HNO₃ + NH₄OH NH₄NO₃ + H₂O (ii) Salts of nitric acid (HNO₃) are called
nitrates.
Naming Salts
(iii) Salts of sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) are called
Salts are formed by the reaction between acids
sulphates.
and bases. Any salt has two parents, an acid and
a base. e salts formed are named using the (iv) Salts of acetic acid (CH₃COOH) are
called acetates.
name of the acid and the base used. e rst
part of the salt’s name is derived from the base (v) Salts of formic acid (HCOOH) are called
and the second part is derived from the acid. formates.

For example: Sodium chloride (salt) is formed (vi) Salts of carbonic acid (H2CO3) are called
by the reaction of sodium hydroxide (base) and carbonates.
hydrochloric acid. Chemical names of some salts with their
common names chemical formulae the acids
HCl + NaOH NaCl + H₂O from which they are obtained (parent acid) and
(Hydrochloric
acid)
(Sodium
hydroxide)
(Sodium
chloride) (Water) their uses in daily life are given in the table
below.

Names of salt Chemical formula Parent acids Uses

Sodium chloride (Common Hydrochloric acid Used as essential food
NaCl
salt or table salt) (HCl) material
Sodium carbonate
Na₂CO₃ Carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) In cleaning, water soening
(Washing soda)
Calcium carbonate
CaCO₃ Carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) As marble
(Marble, lime, chalk)
Copper sulphate (Blue
CuSO₄ Sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) As fungicides
vitriol)
Ammonium sulphate (NH₄)₂SO₄ Sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄₎ Fertilisers

Ammonium nitrate NH₄NO₃ Nitric acid (HNO₃) Fertilisers, explosives

Calcium phosphate Ca₃(PO₄)₂ Phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) Making fertilisers

Acids, Bases and Salts 71

Properties of Salts Acid Rain
u Salts are mostly solids having high melting e rain containing an excess of acids is called
points and high boiling points. acid rain. e rain becomes acidic because
u Salts are usually soluble in water. carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen
dioxide (which are released into the air as
u Solution of salts in water conducts
pollutants) dissolve in raindrops to form
electricity.
carbonic acid, sulphuric acid and nitric acid
Classi cation of Salts respectively. Acid rain can cause damage to
Salts can be classi ed into three categories: buildings, historical monuments, plants and
u Neutral salts
animals.
Fig.7 Concentrated acids and
u Acidic salts, and bases can cause severe burns
u Basic salts.
Details about these will be studied in higher
classes.

Checkpoint-2
Write True or False
1. Salts are formed by the reaction between acids and bases. ______________
2. Salts are mostly liquid and have high melting points. ______________
3. Salts are usually soluble in water. ______________

Stomach acid Apple juice Black coffee Pure water Baking

soda Bleach Concentrated
Tomato juice Milk Soap Ammonia solution of alkalis
Lemon juice Egg solution
Most acidic

Most Basic

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Acids Neutral Bases
Fig.8 Various items can be arranged on a pH scale based on their acidic and basic levels
72 Exploring Science-7
Keywords
Acid : A type of chemical substance that has a sour taste.
Base : A type of chemical substance which feels soapy when touched, and is bitter to
taste.
Alkalies : Water soluble bases.
Indicators : Chemicals that change their colours in acidic or basic medium.
Litmus : A dye which turns red in acid and blue in base.
Neutral : A substance which does not have an acidic or basic nature.
Neutralisation : The reaction of an acid with a base to form salt and water.
Salt : A substance formed when acids and bases react with each other.

Points to Remember
u Acids are sour in taste.
u Bases are bitter in taste and soapy to the touch.
u Acid turns blue litmus paper red. Bases turn red litmus paper blue.
u Substances which are neither acidic nor basic are called neutral substances.
u An indicator is a substance which tells whether a solution is acidic or basic by changing its
colour.
u Indicators could be natural or synthetic.
u Litmus, turmeric and china rose are examples of natural indicators; whereas methyl orange
and phenolphthalein are synthetic indicators.
u Concentrated solutions of acids or bases can be very strong. ey can cause serious skin burns
if we come in contact with them directly.
u Acids and bases are diluted by adding them to water.
u An acid and a base neutralise each other to form a salt.
u e process by which an acid reacts with a base to form only salt and water is known as
neutralisation.
u Salts can be classi ed into three types: acidic salts, basic salts and neutral salts.
u Solutions of salts conduct electricity.
u e rain becomes acidic because carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide
dissolve in raindrops to form carbonic acid, sulphuric acid and nitric acid respectively.

Acids, Bases and Salts 73

 Exercise
A. Tick (3) the Correct Option
1. Which of the following is an inorganic acid?
(a) Carbonic acid (b) Formic acid
(c) Acetic acid (d) Citric acid
2. Which of the following acids is produced in our stomach?
(a) Hydrochloric acid (b) Sulphuric acid
(c) Nitric acid (d) Carbonic acid
3. Choose the odd one.
(a) Methyl orange (b) Turmeric
(c) Litmus (d) China rose
4. Which of the following is not a mineral acid?
(a) Hydrochloric acid (b) Sulphuric acid
(c) Nitric acid (d) Citric acid
5. e colour of litmus in neutral water is:
(a) blue (b) red
(c) yellow (d) purple
B. Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Words
1. Acids have ____________ taste.
2. Bases have ____________ taste.
3. Methyl orange and phenolphthalein are commonly used synthetic ____________.
4. Litmus, turmeric and China rose are the ____________ indicators.
5. Reaction between acid and base to form salt and water is called ____________ reaction.
C. Very-Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. What are acidic substances?
2. What are basic substances?
3. What are salts?
4. Acids turn red litmus paper blue. True or False?
5. What are laboratory acids?
6. Acids can be corrosive in nature. True or False?

74 Exploring Science-7
 7. Which chemical is also known as caustic potash? Is it an acid or a base?
8. What is the use of milk of magnesia?
9. Which chemical can be used to remove ink spots from clothes?
10. Which acid is used to make carbonate salt?
D. Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. Differentiate between natural and mineral acids.
2. Write the names of three mineral acids and three organic acids.
3. What are indicators? Give an example of a natural indicator and a synthetic indicator.
4. Write the names and chemical formulas of two strong and weak bases and two strong and
weak acids.
5. Why are acids not stored in metal containers?
6. What is a neutralisation reaction? What are its end products?
E. Long-Answer-Type Questions
1. Make a list of all the indicators you have studied. Draw a table to show how they change
their colour on being brought in contact with acidic, basic and neutral solutions.
2. Explain in detail the various ways in which acids can be classi ed.
3. Write three physical properties of each of the following:
(a) Acids (b) Bases (c) Salt
4. How are salts made? Give an example.
5. Describe three applications of neutralisation in daily life.
6. Describe how salts are named. Give examples of salts made from various acids.
7. Write three uses of the following acids:
(a) Hydrochloric acid (b) Sulphuric acid (c) Nitric acid
8. Write the uses of the following bases:
(a) Sodium hydroxide (b) Magnesium hydroxide (c) Calcium hydroxide

HOTS
1. You are given solutions of an acid and a base. How will the colour of red litmus change if
you start adding base into the acid solution? What will its colour become when you have
added excess base?
2. Acids derived from plants and animal products are weak. What do you think is the reason
for that?
3. Pickles are never stored in metal containers. What could be the reason for this?

Acids, Bases and Salts 75

 Activity Zone

A. Take some onion peels and red cabbage from the kitchen and boil them separately in water.
Collect the coloured water in two different glasses. Now make solutions of lemon juice,
baking soda and vinegar. Take a small amount of each solution and add to it two drops of
onion peel solution. Observe the change in colours. Repeat with the red cabbage juice. Write
your observation in the form of a table.

B. Collect some China rose (Gudhal) petals and place them in a beaker. Add some warm water.
Keep the mixture for some time till the water becomes coloured. Use the coloured water as an
indicator. Add ve drops of the indicator to each of the solutions given in the table below.

Sl. No. Test solution Initial colour Final colour

1. Shampoo (dilute solution)

2. Lemon juice
3. Soda water
4. Sodium hydrogen carbonate solution
5. Vinegar
6. Sugar solution
7. Common salt solution

Project Work

C. Soaps are salts of fatty acids. Find out how soaps are made. Also, nd out the various types of
soaps. Make a presentation of your ndings.

Science Excursion

D. Visit a few farms in your locality. Bring the soil samples of those farms and nd out, which is
acidic, basic, or neutral soil. Discuss with the farmers if they treat the soil in any manner. Find
out the effect on crop cultivation if the soil is too acidic or too basic.

76 Exploring Science-7
 Memory Map

High melting eir solutions

Usually soluble & are good
Mostly solids in water boiling points conductor of electricity

Salts

CHEMICAL Bases
Acids SUBSTANCES

Sour taste Soapy feel

Turn blue litmus red Bitter taste

Corrosive
Turn red litmus blue
Soluble in water
Corrosive
Conduct electricity

e-Resources
Please visit the link given below or scan the QR code for more resources on
this chapter:
https://www.megamindpublication.com/s-3-science/b-3-exploring-science-7/c-31/acid,-bases-and-salts.html

Acids, Bases and Salts 77