Acids

and
Alkalis
 OBJECTIVES
We are learning how to:
⬗ Identify acids and alkalis as two groups of
chemicals.

⬗ Distinguish between substances that are acids and

alkalis.

⬗ Describe what happens when we combine an acid

and an alkali.

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 Acids and Alkalis
One way of classifying matter is into acids and alkalis. Acids and alkalis are found in a wide
variety of products.

Many fruits These household chemicals

Baking soda is an alkali
contain acids may be acids or alkalis and
many of them are
corrosive.

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 Many acids and alkalis
may be hazardous.

The picture shows some of

the effects of contact with
sulfuric acid (H2SO4)

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 Calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2,
is a mildly corrosive alkali.
However, the product of the
reaction of calcium hydroxide
and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is
calcium sulphate (CaSO4),
which is a useful substance –
it is used to make casts for
supporting fractured bones.
Ca(OH)2(aq) + H2SO4(aq)  CaSO4(s) + 2H20(l)

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IDENTIFYING
ACIDS
AND
ALKALI
 The word acid is from the Latin acidus, meaning sour. An acid is a chemical substance. Solutions
formed from these chemical substances usually have a sour taste. In order to identify acids,
indicators are used. Indicators are made from special dyes and the results of your experiments
should show the colour change.
Most fruits contains acids, such as citric acid, but these acids are weak acids and we can eat them
without coming to any harm. They also provide the tangy flavours of fruits.
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring gas that is important for photosynthesis. It is produced
during respiration, fermentation, combustion and eruptions. Carbon dioxide is acidic and forms
carbonic acid.

The word alkali is of Arabic origin, meaning dry. Alkalis belong to a set of bases but they are
soluble in water, hence the name hydroxide. Dilute solutions of alkalis feel soapy and have a bitter
taste. All alkalis conduct electricity. Alkalis can be identified by their colour changes with
indicators.
Household ammonia solutions is strongly alkaline.

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 Exploring Acids and Alkalis using Indicators

IDENTIFYING ACIDS AND ALKALIS USING BLUE AND RED LITMUS PAPER

COLOR CHANGE COLOR CHANGE

SPECIMEN WITH RED LITMUS WITH BLUE LITMUS
PAPER PAPER

Vinegar

Milk

Bleach

Baking soda

Water

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 Strength of an acid and alkali

Universal indicator is very special. As well as indicating acidity. It also gives the strength of an acid.
The colours of the universal indicator match those on a range called the pH scale. Acids can have a
pH with a number between 0 and 6. The stronger the acid, the more corrosive it is. The stomach
produces hydrochloric acid, which is the one of the strongest of all acids.

As acidity weakens, the colour of universal indicator moves from red to yellow.

Universal indicator also shows the strength of alkalis. Universal indicator displays colours for alkalis
with a pH between 8 and 14.

As alkalinity increases, the colour of universal indicator moves from blue to purple.

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10
 Strength of an acid and alkali

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 Strength of an acid and alkali

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 “
ACIDS-ALKALI
REACTIONS

(NEUTRALIZATION)

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 Reactions between acids and alkalis

Neutralization
Alkali are bases that are soluble in water. Acids and alkalis have opposite chemical properties.
When an alkali and acid combine, there is a point where they both cancel out the effect of
each other and this is called neutralization.
A neutral substance has a pH of 7, the midpoint of acids and alkalis.
Since acids and alkalis chemically react with each other, a new product is formed.

The components of a chemical change occur in fixed or given proportions. To know the exact
amount of each chemical to be used for neutralization, you can use an indicator.

Titration – is a technique in which the concentration of a one solution (unknown) is found by using
another solution with a known concentration.

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 PRODUCTS OF NEUTRALIZATION
The products of the neutralization of an acid and an alkali are a salt and water.
The product of the neutralization of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid is a salt and water.
The salt water solution can be evaporated leaving the salt (sodium chloride) residue. The
chemical reaction that occurred is shown thus:

NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq)  NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)

The names of salts have two parts. The first part is the name of the metal involved in the
reaction.(Ammonia is not a metal but when it reacts with an acid, the first part of the name of
the salt is ammonium).
The second part comes from the acid used. If the acid used is:

• Hydrochloric acid then the salt is a chloride

• Nitric acid then the salt is a nitrate
• Sulfuric acid then the salt is a sulphate
• Ethanoic acid then the salt is ethanoate

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 WRITE THE PRODUCTS OF THE FOLLOWING NEUTRALIZATIONS AND THEN REWRITE
THE TO BALANCED CHEMICAL REACTIONS:

⬗ Magnesium hydroxide + hydrochloric acid

⬗ Aluminium hydroxide + nitric acid
⬗ Copper(II) hydroxide + sulfuric acid
⬗ Lead(II) hydroxide + hydrochloric acid
⬗ Aqueous ammonia + nitric acid
⬗ Zinc hydroxide + sulfuric acid

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