bases and alkalis Flashcards
(21 cards)
what is a base?
metal oxide or hydroxide.
they are ionic compounds containing oxide ions or hydroxide ions.
definition of base
a base can be defined as a substance that reacts with acid to give salt and water only. this reaction is called neutralisation.
what are soluble bases
alkalis when dissolved.
what is an alkali
a metal hydroxide which is soluble in water.
the 4 common alkalis
sodium hydroxide potassium hydroxide calcium hydroxide aqueous ammonia [spca]
all alkalis produce ____ ions when dissolved in water
hydroxide ions
all alkalis produce ____ ions when dissolved in water
hydroxide ions
all alkalis produce ____ ions when dissolved in water
hydroxide ions
all alkalis produce ____ ions when dissolved in water
hydroxide ions
all alkalis produce ____ ions when dissolved in water
hydroxide ions
all alkalis produce ____ ions when dissolved in water
hydroxide ions
all alkalis produce ____ ions when dissolved in water
hydroxide ions
physical properties of alkalis
[3]
alkalis have a bitter taste and feel soapy.
alkalis turn red litmus paper blue.
alkalis dissolve in water to form solutions which can conduct electricity.
do stronger acids or weaker acids conduct electricity better
stronger acids.
they dissociate more.
alkalis + acids =
salt + water
[neutralisation]
alkalis + ammonium salts =
salt + ammonia gas + water
how to test for ammonia?
hold a moist red litmus paper at the mouth of the test tube; if ammonia gas is present the litmus paper turns blue.
alkalis + metal ions(in a solution)=
precipitation of the insoluble hydroxides
what is the pH scale?
it is a set of numbers from 0 to 14.
it indicates if a solution is acidic, neutral or alkaline
how do you measure the pH of a given solution?
by using an indicator.
what are indicators?
indicators are substances that have different colours in acidic and alkali solutions