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ACIDS, ALKALIS, INDICATORS, AND pH

1. WHAT ARE ACIDS?
• Acids are mostly strong corrosive liquids that fizz when it comes into contact with
solids and burn when they touch the skin.
• While this is true for many acids, there are acids that are not corrosive.
• Corrosive- things that cause corrosion.
• Corrosion-a process in which a solid, especially, a metal, is eaten away and
changed by a chemical action.
1.1. ACIDS AROUND US
• Some foods contain acids. They give the sour and tangy taste to the food.
• Some acids are found in living things.

ACIDS IN FOOD ACIDS IN OUR BODY

Citric acid in orange and lime Hydrochloric acid in our stomach

Tartaric acid in grapes Lactic acid produced in our muscles

during exercise

Ascorbic acid in citrus fruits Uric acid in urine

1.2. SOME ACIDS ARE DANGEROUS

• Acids that are corrosive are dangerous.
• A strong acid or a concentrated acid can dissolve the skin when it comes into contact
with it.
• We get a chemical burn.
• This is why we should always use an eye protectant when handling acids.
• This is especially true for acids that we use in laboratories.
• Examples for corrosive acids are hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and
nitric acid (HNO3).
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1.3. WEAK AND STRONG ACIDS

Weak acids are not as corrosive and dangerous as strong acids.
WEAK ACIDS STRONG ACIDS
Citric acid Hydrochloric acid
Acetic acid Sulfuric acid
Ascorbic acid Nitric acid
1.4. DILUTE ACIDS
• To make acids less harmful, we should dilute it. That is, add water so that it is
less concentrated.
• Dilute acids are still dangerous because they can still cause irritation to your skin
and eyes.
• It is advised to wash the area exposed to acid with lots of water since water can dilute
the acid.
2. ALKALIS
Alkalis are the dissolved forms of bases, alkalis are bases that were dissolved in water.
They are bitter in taste.
Just like acids, alkalis can be weak or strong.
Weak alkalis are safe to use while strong alkalis are corrosive and harmful.
Example for weak alkali; sodium bicarbonate.
Example for strong alkali; sodium hydroxide.
The toothpaste and soap that we use everyday contain weak alkali that are safe to use.
When alkali comes into contact with your skin, your skin feels soapy. Strong alkalis can
cause skin burn or chemical burn that dissolves your skin.
3. INDICATORS
Indicators are substances that indicate whether a material is an acid or an alkali.
Adding an indicator to a solution of acid or base gives a specific colour for each.
3.1 EXAMPLE FOR A NATURAL INDICATOR-RED CABBAGE JUICE
• The indicator turns acids red.
• It is blue in water (neutral;neither a base nor an acid).
• The indicator turns alkalis green/yellow.
3.2. LITMUS AS AN INDICATOR
Litmus is a very common indicator.
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• In alkalis, it turns blue.

• In acids, it turns red.
• In neutral solutions,
litmus is purple.

3.3. UNIVERSAL INDICATOR

Universal indicator is a special
type of indicator that is a mixture
of different indicators.
It tells us how strong or weak an
acid or alkali is.
A simple indicator only shows if a
substance is an acid or an alkali
but the universal indicator shows
how acidic or alkaline the
substance is.
It shows different colours in acid or alkali depending on their strength.
4. pH SCALE
The strength of acids and alkalis can be measured on a scale, the pH scale.
The scale ranges from 0 to 14.

pH of acids ranges from 0 to 6.9.

pH of neutral solutions is 7.
pH of alkalis ranges from 7.1 to 14.
Strong acids: pH of 0 to 3
Weak acids: pH of 4 to 6.9
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Weak alkalis: pH of 7.1 to 10

Strong alkalis: pH of 11 to 14
The universal indicator changes colour and shows the pH of a substance.

The pH of a substance is one of its chemical properties.

Sodium hydroxide