Chemistry : Acids, Bases & Salts

The reaction of an acid with a base to produce only salt and water is called a
neutralization reaction.
Acids
Acids are sour in taste.
If hydronium ions are found in a solution, the solution is acidic in nature. Hydronium
ions are the only positively-charged ions (cations) formed when an acid dissolves in
water. All the properties of an acid are due to the presence of these ions. The chemical
formula of an hydronium ion is H
3
O
1+
.
An acid is known as a 'proton donor'.
Examples of Acids
Aqua Regia contains concentrated Nitric acid and concentrated Hydrochloric acid in the
ratio 1:3. Aqua Regia means 'Royal Water' in Latin. It is used to dissolve noble metals
like gold and platinum.
Milk contains lactic acid. Lactic acid is named after the Latin word 'lac', which means
milk.
Vinegar is very dilute acetic acid. The vinegar used in cooking contains approximately
4% of acetic acid. The chemical formula of acetic acid is CH
3
COOH.
Sulfuric acid is used in the manufacture of many car batteries. It is also known as 'Oil of
Vitriol'. The chemical formula of Sulfuric acid is H
2
SO
4
.
Carbonic acid is responsible for the 'fizz' in soft drinks. The carbonic acid decomposes
into Carbon dioxide bubbles. The chemical formula of Carbonic acid is H
2
CO
3
.
Ascorbic acid is the chemical name of Vitamin C. Deficiency of Vitamin C in the body
may result in a disease known as scurvy. The chemical formula of ascorbic acid is
C
6
H
8
O
6
.
Bases
Bases are bitter in taste and soapy to touch.
If hydroxyl ions are found in a solution, the solution is basic in nature. Hydroxyl ions are
the only negatively-charged ions (anions) formed when a base dissolves in water. All the
properties of a base are due to the presence of these ions. The chemical formula of an
hydroxyl ion is OH
1-
.
A base is known as a 'proton acceptor'.
Examples of Bases
Antacids help to neutralize the acidity (of hydrochloric acid) in the stomach. They
chiefly contain two bases, namely Magnesium hydroxide and Aluminum hydroxide. The
chemical formula of Magnesium hydroxide and Aluminum hydroxide is Mg(OH)
2
and
Al(OH)
3
respectively.
Sodium hydroxide is also known as 'Caustic Soda'. Its chemical formula is NaOH.
Potassium hydroxide is also known as 'Caustic Potash'. It is used in the manufacture of
alkaline batteries. Its chemical formula is KOH.
Ammonia is a basic gas which is used in the manufacture of fertilizers such as Urea,
Ammonium nitrate, and Ammonium sulfate. Ammonia is produced for commercial
purposes by the Haber's Process. When dissolved in water, Ammonia forms a base
known as Ammonium hydroxide. The chemical formula of Ammonia is NH
3
.
Salts
A salt is defined as a compound formed by the complete or incomplete replacement of
the hydrogen ion of an acid by a basic radical.
A normal salt is formed by the complete replacement of the hydrogen ion of an acid by a
basic radical whereas an acid salt is formed by the incomplete replacement of the
hydrogen ion of an acid by a basic radical.
Examples of Salts
Sodium sulfate is a normal salt whereas Sodium bisulfate is an acid salt.
Sodium sulfide is soluble in water whereas Copper carbonate, Lead chloride, and
Barium sulfate are insoluble in water.
Sodium carbonate is used in the manufacture of detergents and glass.
Zinc sulfide is insoluble in water whereas Potassium phosphate, Ammonium carbonate,
and Barium chloride are soluble in water.
Ammonium nitrate is used in the manufacture of fertilizers


Salts
by Ron Kurtus (15 December 2001)
Salts are neutral compounds that are often the result of adding an acid and a base
together. You can identify a salt by its characteristics and its chemical formula. A salt
has a pH of 7.0. Salts provide minerals to the body.
Characteristics
Salts are chemical compounds that are usually formed from the combination of an
acid and a base in water.
Chemical combination
An example of combining an acid and a base to form a salt is combining a water
solution of hydrochloric acid (HCl) with a water solution of sodium hydroxide base
(NaOH). They react to form common table salt (NaCl) and water:
HCl + NaOH NaCl + H
2
O
(The extra water for the solutions is not included in the above chemical equation, since it isn't part
of the reaction and for the sake of simplicity.)
Another chemical reaction is combining the poisonous green chlorine gas (Cl
2
) with
the explosive metallic sodium powder (Na) to form the beneficial white salt crystals.
(This reaction would normally be done in a water solution).
Cl
2
+ 2Na 2NaCl
Physical characteristics
When mixed with water, a salt may be reactive with other substances. For example,
salty water can enhance the corrosion or rusting of steel. Also, some salts can cause
burns or irritations on the skin, while others are actually poisonous.
Salts have a salty taste (no kidding!), but you should be careful in tasting or
touching any chemical, especially one that may be harmful to your skin.
Crystals
Removing water from salts usually results in crystalline material. A good example of
such crystals is common table salt.
pH scale
The pH scale is a measurement of the strength of an acid, salt or base. The pH of a
salt falls between an acid and a base and is exactly 7.0.
Litmus paper is often used to give a rough estimate of the pH. When wet with a salt
solution, litmus paper will neither turn red nor blue, but will remain white.
Formula
There is no easy way to determine that a material is a salt from its chemical formula,
like you can with an acid or a base.
Bases can often be identified by the OH term in the end of their chemical formula,
while acids usually have an H at the start of the formula. Salts normally do not have
either the OH or the H terms. The salt potassium chloride (KCl) is an example.
Uses for salts
Salts are important for sustaining life because they provide minerals to the body.
Since NaCl and water can corrode materials, often CaCl is used to melt ice on the
sidewalk in the winter. Calcium Chloride is much less corrosive.
Other facts on uses include:
Too much salt in the soil can prevent plants from growing.
There are many types of salts dissolved in ocean water.
Since salts are more stable than either acids or bases, you will find more of
them in nature.