Acid and base reactions

Question 1

What are acids?

Answer 1

Chemicals that have hydrogen (H) and are able to react with other chemicals to form salts.

Question 2

What are bases or alkalines?

Answer 2

Chemicals which are essentially the opposite to acids. They can also react with other chemicals to produce, but rather contain a special oxygen - hydrogen (OH) molecule which allows them to do this.

Question 3

What do we use to measure the acidity/alkalinity of a chemical?

Answer 3

pH scale. This is a scale that exists between 0 and 14, where 7 is neutral. Acids lie between 0 and 7 and bases lie between 7 and 14.

Question 4

What are the 3 main types of acid reactions?

Answer 4

1. Acid-metal reaction
2. Acid-base (or neutralisation) reaction
3. Acid-carbonate reaction

Question 5

What is an acid-metal reaction?

Answer 5

A reaction between an acid and a metallic substance, such as iron or copper. This reaction ALWAYS produces a salt and hydrogen gas, as seen in the following word equation:
Acid + Metal ~> Salt + Hydrogen Gas

Question 6

What is an acid-base reaction?

Answer 6

A reaction between an acidic chemical and a basic chemical. This reaction ALWAYS produces water and salt, as seen in the following word equation:
Acid + Base ~> Salt + Water

Question 7

What is an Acid-carbonate reaction?

Answer 7

A reaction between an acid and a chemical which contains carbonate (CO3), such as sodium bicarbonate used during cooking. This reaction always produces water, a salt and carbon dioxide, as seen in the following word equation:
Acid + Metal carbonate ~> Salt + Water + Carbon dioxide

Question 8

What are some examples of when acids and bases are applied in our life and in industry?

Answer 8

• Food and cooking
• Treating of insect stings
• Digestion via stomach acid
• Treatment of soil for growing plants
• Neutralising industrial chemical wastes
• Battery function