Physical and Chemical

Properties of
ACIDS AND BASES

Vanessa P. Mondero
 WHOA!
The pH scale is a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is and it ranges
from 0 to 14. Acidic solutions have a pH of less than 7, whereas bases have a
pH higher than 7. Solutions with a pH of 7, such as water (H 2O), are
considered neutral. 
 ACIDS
01
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF ACIDS
 TASTE Acids have a SOUR taste
Mineral acids are colorless liquids but sometimes sulfuric acid
 COLOR
becomes yellow due to impurities. Some are white colored solids.
 SOLUBILITY All acids are SOLUBLE in water.
Some acids are solids, while others are liquids at room
 PHYSICAL STATE
temperature.
 CORROSIVE Most of the acids are corrosive in nature.
NATURE
 CONDUCTIVITY All dilute acids CONDUCT ELECTRICITY.
They turn blue litmus red, they change the color of methyl orange
 ACTION OF
INDICATORS
from orange to red, Phenolphthalein remains colorless in acidic
solutions.
PHYSICAL STATE
LITMUS PAPER INDICATOR
 INDICATOR

Methyl orange is a popular pH

indicator that is used in titration.

In an acidic medium, methyl

orange is red, and in a basic
medium, it is yellow.
INDICATOR
 CHEMICAL
PROPERTIES
OF ACIDS
1. React with reactive metals (above H in Reactivity
Series) to form Salt & Hydrogen Gas
 When a metal reacts with an acid, it generally displaces hydrogen from the acids. This
leads to the evolution of hydrogen gas.
 The metals combine with remaining part of acids to form a salt.

Metal + Dilute acid → Metal salt + Hydrogen

For example reaction of sulfuric acid with zinc.

Zn + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H2
Zinc metal reacts with dilute sulfuric acid to liberate hydrogen gas along with the
formation of zinc sulfate.
 Mg + HCl → MgCl2 + H2

Magnesium metal reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to

liberate hydrogen gas along with the formation of magnesium
chloride.
 All metals do not react
with the same acid with
the same vigor.

Highly active metals placed above hydrogen in

the activity series react vigorously with dilute
acids to liberate hydrogen gas, whereas less
active metals react less vigorously with dilute
acids.
 2. React with Metal Carbonates to form Salt,
Carbon Dioxide & Water
Dilute acids react with metal carbonates and bicarbonates to
liberate carbon dioxide gas with brisk effervescence and form
corresponding salt and water.

Metal carbonates + Acid → Salt + water + carbon

dioxide
Sodium hydrogen carbonate reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to liberate carbon dioxide
along with the formation of sodium chloride and water.

NaHCO3 + HCl → NaCl + H2O + CO2

 3. React with Bases/Alkali to form Salt &
Water (Neutralization Reaction)
 When an acid reacts with a base, it forms salt and water. This reaction is called
neutralization.
Acid + Base → Salt + Water

For example, when hydrochloric acid reacts with sodium hydroxide solutions, then
a neutralization reaction takes place to form sodium chloride and water.
NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H2O
 4. React with Metal Oxides to form
Salt and Water
Metal Oxide + Acid → Salt + Water
Acids react with metal
oxides to form salt and
water. Thus, the reaction For example, when a black metallic
between metallic oxides oxide that is copper oxide reacts
and acids is a kind of with hydrochloric acid forms a blue-
neutralization reaction. green copper chloride and water.

CuO + 2HCl → CuCl2 + H2O

BASES
02
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF BASES
 TASTE Acids have a BITTER taste
 TOUCH SLIPPERY
 COLOR Bases are colorless except the hydroxides of iron and copper.

 SOLUBILITY Some bases are soluble in water.

 CORROSIVE Strong bases have strong burning action on the skin and may
NATURE produce blisters.
 CONDUCTIVITY All dilute acids CONDUCT ELECTRICITY.
They turn red litmus solution blue, change methyl orange from
 ACTION OF
orange to yellow, and change colorless phenolphthalein to
INDICATORS
pink.
LITMUS PAPER INDICATOR
 INDICATOR

Methyl orange is a popular pH

indicator that is used in titration.

In an acidic medium, methyl

orange is red, and in a basic
medium, it is yellow.
INDICATOR
 CHEMICAL
PROPERTIES
OF BASES
 1. Neutralization Reaction
(Dilute Acid + Alkali → Salt + Water)

For example, sodium hydroxide

Bases react with acids to reacts with hydrochloric acid to
form only salt and water. form sodium chloride and water
This reaction is called only.
neutralization.
NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H2O
 2. Alkalis react with solution of metal salt to
form another metal salt and hydroxide

For example, sodium hydroxide reacts with copper(II) sulfate to

form sodium sulfate and copper(II) hydroxide.

Chemical equation:

2NaOH (aq) + CuSO4 (aq) → Na2SO4 (aq) + Cu(OH)2 (s)

 3. Alkalis react with Ammonium Salts to
produce Salt, Water and Ammonia Gas 
Alkali + Ammonium Salt → Salt + Ammonia Gas + Water [Heat gently]

Alkalis on heating with ammonium salts liberate ammonia gas.

For example, Whenever ammonium chloride is heated along with sodium hydroxide,
it liberates ammonia gas along with the formation of sodium chloride and water.
NH4Cl(s) + NaOH(aq) →
Δ NaCl(aq) +H2O(l) + NH3(g)
 Summary of Physical Properties
PROPERTIES ACID BASE

TASTE Sour Bitter

TOUCH Rough Slippery
pH Less than 7 Greater that 7
CONDUCTS
Yes Yes
ELECTRICITY
SOLUBILITY All Some

Turn blue litmus red, change the

Turns red litmus to blue, change
color of methyl orange from
methyl orange from orange to
INDICATORS orange to red, Phenolphthalein
yellow, change colorless
remains colorless in acidic
phenolphthalein to pink.
solutions.
 MISCONCEPTIONS

1. All acids are dangerous.

2. Bases are not harmful.
3. pH of pure water is always equal to 7
4. Neutralization of acid and base always
gives a neutral product.
THANKS
CREDITS: This presentation template was
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 RESOURCES
● https://www.embibe.com/exams/chemical-properties-of-acids-and-bases/
● https://www.simplechemconcepts.com/physical-chemical-properties-of-alkalis/
● https://byjus.com/chemistry/propertries-of-acids-and-bases/#:~:text=Acids%20are%
20chemical%20substances%20which,water%20while%20others%20are%20not
.
● https://chemistrytalk.org/acid-base-properties/