Acids and Alkalis

Question 1

What are alkalis?

Answer 1

substances that dissociate into hydroxide ions when dissolved in water.

Question 2

What is a strong and weak alkali?

Answer 2

A strong alkali totally dissociates into hydroxide ions.

A weak alkali only partially dissociates into hydroxide ions when dissolved in water

Question 3

How to find out if something is an acid or an alkali using litmus.

Answer 3

Red litmus turns blue in alkali and remains red in acid.

Blue litmus turns red in acid and remains blue in alkali.

Question 4

What happens when acid reacts with metal/ metal oxides/ metal carbonates/ metal hydroxides?

Answer 4

When acid reacts with one of these compounds normally salt is formed.

Question 5

What salts are made when sulfuric acid, nitric acid and hydrochloric acid?

Answer 5

Sulfuric acid makes metal sulfate salts
Nitric acid makes metal nitrate salts
Hydrochloric acid makes metal chloride salts

Question 6

What do alkalis produce when dissolved in water?

Answer 6

They produce hydroxide ions hence any metal hydroxide is an alkali