General properties

ACIDS
Taste sour
Turn litmus
blue to red
Reacts with active metals
Fe, Zn, Mg

React with bases to form

salts and water
Hydronium Ion present (H3O)+

BASES
Taste bitter
Turn litmus red to blue
Feel soapy or slippery
(react with fats to
make soap)
React with acids to
form salts and water
Hydroxide Ion present
(OH)-

Acid/Base Definitions
Arrehenius
only in water

Acids produce H+
Bases - produce OH-

Acids donate H+
Bronsted-Lowry
Bases accept H+
any solvent
- pair

Acids

accept
e
Lewis
Bases donate e- pair
used in organic chemistry,

wider range of substances

Sodium Hydroxide
(Strong)
Barium Hydroxide
(Strong)

NaOH
Ba(OH)2

Potassium
Hydroxide (Strong)

KOH

Magnesium
Hydroxide (Strong)

Lye, Caustic); make soap and textiles, oven cleaner,

Drano, Liquid plumber

make soap and textiles

Mg(OH)2

Milk of magnesia; laxative and antacid

Calcium Hydroxide
(Strong)

Ca(OH)2

Lime Water; astringent -causes contraction of skin

pores

Ammonium
Hydroxide (Weak)

NH4OH

Ammonia in water; window cleaner, other cleaning

solutions

Ammonia (Weak)

NH3

Sodium Carbonate
(Weak)

Na2CO3

Soda Ash; Detergents

Sodium Phosphate
(Weak)

Na3PO4

Sodium triphosphate; Detergents

Gas; inhalant to revive an unconscious person,

anhydrous or liquid ammonia is injected into soil as a
fertilizer

The pH scale, (0 - 14), is the full set of pH numbers which

indicate the concentration of H+ and OH-ions in water. From
0 6 the substance is Acidic. 7 is neutral. From 8 -14 the
substance is Basic. The lower the number the more acidic, the
higher the number the more basic.

Three Common Indicators:

Litmus

Litmus (Vegetable dye) Paper: It is red below pH 4.5 and blue above pH 8.2.
Phenolphthalein: indicator of acids (colorless) and bases (pink).
Hydrion Paper: Ranges in color, Acids/Red, Bases/Blue