Acids and Bases

Properties of Acids and Bases

 Properties of Acids & Bases

• Similarities between acids and bases

– Dissolve in water
– Conduct electricity in aqueous solution
– Can irritate or burn skin
 Acid-
Base
Strength

High H+ concentration
Low H+ concentration
 Acid-Base Strength

• pH < 7 indicate acidic (0-7)solution

• pH = 7 indicate neutral solution
• pH > 8-14 indicate basic solution
 Acid-Base Indicators
• An acid-base indicator is a compound that will
change color in the presence of an acid or
base
• Litmus is a plant extract that can be blue or
red (pink)
– Litmus turns red/pink in an acidic solution
– Litmus turns blue in a basic solution
 Acid-Base Indicators
• A universal indicator is a mixture of chemicals
that changes color through a wide range of
pH values
Acid-Base Indicators

• An even more
precise way of
determine pH is
to use a pH
meter
Acids and Bases Neutralize Each Other
• When an acid and base react with each
other, the characteristic properties of both are
destroyed. This is called neutralization.
 Acids and Bases Neutralize Each Other
• The salts formed may be soluble in
water or can be insoluble
• If the salt is insoluble, a precipitate
will form
• Recall: a precipitate is a suspension
of a small, solid particles formed
during a chemical reaction
Acids and Bases Neutralize Each Other

• A common example of neutralization reaction occurs

when you swallow an antacid tablet to relieve an
upset stomach.
• The acid in your stomach has a pH of about 1.5 due
to mostly hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach
lining
Acids and Bases Neutralize Each Other
• An antacid tablet contains a base, such as sodium
bicarbonate, magnesium hydroxide or calcium
carbonate. The base reacts with the stomach acid
and produces a salt and water.
• This reaction lowers the acidity and raises to pH to its
normal value (about 2)
Metals, Nonmetals, and
Metalloids
Color and label your periodic table
like the one below:
 Metals
• Most elements are metals.
• The 88 elements to the left of the stair step line
are metals or metal-like elements except
Hydrogen.
Examples of metals:
 Physical Properties of Metals
• Good conductors of
heat and
electricity.

• Luster: shiny

• Ductile (can be
stretched into thin
wires)

• Malleable (can be
pounded into
 Properties of Metal, Cont.
• Usually solids at room temperature

• High melting points and boiling points (except

Hg - Mercury)

•High densities and

reflect light
 Chemical Properties of Metals

• A chemical property of metals is that it

Corrodes easily
– Gradual wearing away
– Ex: Silver tarnishing or iron rusting
 Say what?
• Ok, let’s look at it another way:

• Why is Mater the color of orange dirt?

Rust (that orange

coloring) is caused by
iron coming into contact
with oxygen molecules.
That ability to react
with oxygen is a
chemical property of
iron!
 Metalloids
• The periodic table contains a stair-step line,
these elements along that line are called
metalloids.
• The “-oid” ending means – like or similar to
• Elements in this group have properties of both
metals and non-metals.
Physical Properties of Metalloids
• Solids that can be shiny or
dull.
• They can conduct heat and
have electrical charges,but
not as well as metals.
• They are ductile and
malleable.

Silicon
 Non-Metals
• Nonmetals are found on the right side of the
periodic table.
• Their characteristics are opposite those of
metals.
Physical Properties of Non-Metals
• poor conductors of
heat and electricity.
• Non-metals are not
ductile or malleable.
• Solid non-metals are
brittle and break easily.
• Dull, no shiny luster,
don’t reflect light.
• Many non-metals are
gases.
Sulfur
 Malleable
• Matter that can be pounded or rolled into thin
sheets without shattering.
 Brittle
• Matter that shatters and breaks into pieces
when pounded
 Conductor
• Allows heat or electrical charge can pass through
material

• Does metal have good conductivity? Give me

an example!
 Insulator
• Does not allow electricity to pass through easily
– Known as a poor conductor, what in this picture
would you consider to be the insulator?
 Luster
• The way matter reflects light from its surface
• Matter that reflects a large amount of light is
called SHINY (write: high light=shiny)
• Matter that reflects little light from its surface is
called DULL. (write: low light=dull)
 Ductile –

• ability to be stretched into a wire

 Next …..
• Find this page

• Color these properties to

match the periodic table
of elements
Metals – blue
Non-metals – green
Metalloids –
purple
• Now glue these in UNDER
your periodic table
 Groups
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

1
2
3
Period

4
s

5
6
7

This is what
your page in
your science
METALS
• Good conductors of heat and electricity
• Luster is shiny (reflect light)
• Ductile

notebook will
• Malleable
• Corrosive in water
• Solid at room temperature

look like when

• High density
• High melting point and boiling points

NON-METALS
• Poor conductors of heat and electricity
• Luster is dull (don’t reflect light)
• Non Ductile
we are done.
• Not Malleable
• Brittle
• Exist in 3 states of matter (but many are gases)

METALLOIDS
• Have properties of both metals and non-metals
• Luster is shiny or dull
• Ductile
• Malleable
• Do conduct heat and electricity, but not as well as metals
Learning Check
Check your Learning