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Chemistry – Reaction Rates, Acids & Bases & Salts, Organic Chemistry
Why is it important to learn about Chemistry? Do you like breathing, having energy to move, food to
eat, clothes to wear, toiletries to help you smell nice, medicine to help heal you, etc.???? We use
Chemistry every day, in us and around us.
Every culture on Earth has traditional knowledge related to Chemistry. For example, the healing
properties of willow bark have been known to Chinese and North American Aboriginal peoples for
thousands of years. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that Western scientists recognized that salacin, a
chemical found in willow bark helped reduce fever, swelling and pain. This discovery lead to the
development of aspirin in 1897.
First Nations groups could not have survived without an understanding of the chemical properties and
reactions that occurred in the natural world around them. For example, the chemical reactions
involved in the smoking and drying of meat and fish helped remove excess moisture to preserve the
food for long winter months. The chemical properties of many plants were used by First Nations
groups for their medicinal properties. Crushed Juniper berries, for example, were used to keep
mosquitoes from biting since the berries contain a natural insect repellant.
In a chemical reaction, how quickly or slowly reactants turn into products is called the ____RATE____
of ___REACTION__. A reaction that takes a long time has a ____LOW____ reaction rate. A reaction that
occurs quickly has a ____HIGH____ reaction rate. A rate describes how quickly or slowly a change
occurs. Every chemical reaction proceeds at a definite rate. However, you can speed up or slow down
the rate of a chemical reaction.
The four main factors that affect the rate of chemical reactions are;
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Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
__COLLISIONS__ will occur among them. More collisions mean a ____HIGHER__ reaction rate.
Thus, increasing the concentration of the reactants usually results in a ___HIGHER___ reaction
rate. (See Figure 1 below). At lower concentrations, there is less chance for collisions between
particles. This means that __DECREASING_____ the concentration of reactants results in a
lower reaction rate.
FIGURE 1 – Increasing the concentration leads to more collisions and increases the reaction rate.
FIGURE 2 – One big lump = slow reaction, several small lumps = fast reaction
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Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
FIGURE 3 – A catalyst lowers the amount of activation energy required for reaction to begin. Compare the solid line
(without catalyst) to the dotted line (with catalyst).
Table 1 lists the formulas of a few acids. Refer to our previous lessons on the prefixes and suffixes
used in naming acids. All the acids in Table 1 start with H (__HYDROGEN___). The hydrogen atoms
written at the front of the formulas are “special”, because when these compounds _DISSOLVE__ in
water, the molecules “split up” (_IONIZE___) into hydrogen ions with a __NEGATIVE___ charge
(H+), and atoms or polyatomic groups with a __IONS__ charge.
An acid dissolved in water consists of hydrogen ions (H+) and negatively charged ions. Because of
this, acids __CONDUCT__ electricity well.
Strong acids are assumed to ionize completely in water. See the two examples below for how this
ionization is written.
Example 1 Hydrochloric Acid in Water
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Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
Properties of Acids
Acids have several properties in common:
1. All acids contain __HYDROGEN_, which becomes H+ in water.
2. All acids are _SOLUBLE___ in water.
3. All acids have a ___SOUR___ taste.
4. All acids conduct _ELECTRICITY_ when dissolved in water.
5. All acids react _PREDICTABLY__ with various chemical __INDICATORS__.
Of course, you should not go about tasting acids to see if statement 3 is always true. Some acids are
extremely dangerous to touch, taste, or smell. But there are some acids which are in the foods you eat,
and you know how they taste. __VINEGAR_ is actually dilute acetic acid. __CARBONIC_ acid is formed
whenever ___CO2_ dissolves in water, and is used in many soft drinks. ___CITRIC___ acid is found in
many fruits. _ASCORBIC_ acid is Vitamin C. You may have eaten Vitamin C tablets. Vitamin C is also in
fresh fruits.
Some acids are extremely dangerous if not handled properly. _HYDROCHLORIC_ acid, sold
commercially as muriatic acid, is a strong, _CORROSIVE__acid. Concentrated hydrochloric acid will
___BURN_ your skin or eyes if allowed to contact them. This acid is sometimes used to clean concrete,
because it reacts with and partially dissolves the limestone in the concrete. It is also used in an acid dip
to remove rust from car parts. Rubber gloves and goggles must be worn when using this acid. You
actually have some hydrochloric acid in your __STOMACH__. Your digestive system uses HCl in the
digestive process. If you have ever experienced “__HEARTBURN_” or acid reflux, you have tasted some
of your very own hydrochloric acid! Fortunately, the lining of your stomach has a strong protective
coating.
Hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid will dissolve many metals. When the metal dissolves, hydrogen
gas is released from the acid. The metal takes the place of the hydrogen in the original compound.
Table 2 lists the formulas of some bases. Notice that all the bases in Table 2 end in _OH____, the
_HYDROXIDE_ group. When hydroxide compounds dissolve in water, the particles ionize into positively
charged atoms (such as Na+) or poly atomic groups (such as NH4), and __NEGATIVELY__ charged
hydroxide ions (OH-). Because of this fact, hydroxide compounds (bases) conduct electricity well.
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Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
Strong bases are also assumed to ionize completely in water. See the two examples below for how this
ionization is written.
Example 1 Sodium Hydroxide in Water
Particles of sodium hydroxide ionize in water like this:
Ammonia gas (NH3) dissolves in water to form ammonium hydroxide. The ammonium hydroxide forms
these ions:
NH4OH NH4+ + OH
Properties of Bases
Bases have several properties in common:
1. All bases contain the _HYDROXIDE_ group, OH-.
2. Bases taste __BITTER__.
3. Bases also conduct __ELECTRICITY__.
4. Bases react predictably with various chemical indicators.
Again, you should not taste bases to see if they really are bitter. Bases can be very dangerous to
handle. They are very destructive to __PROTEIN_, for example, and protein is in your ___SKIN___, your
___EYES__ and your hair. If you have ever tasted soap accidentally, you know what a bitter taste it has.
(Bases are used in the manufacture of soap.)
Some household cleaning products contain bases, and must be handled with great care. For example,
drain and oven cleaners contain ___SODIUM__ hydroxide, a corrosive base. Sodium hydroxide is
sometimes sold under the name ____LYE__. Potassium hydroxide is also used in some drain cleaners.
It is also very corrosive and poisonous. These chemicals must be handled with great care. Goggles and
gloves should be worn when handling drain and oven cleaners.
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Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
Some bases are milder and relatively safe, if used in moderation. For example, a commercial product
called Milk of MagnesiaTM is actually __MAGNESIUM_ hydroxide. It is used in small amounts to
neutralize stomach _ACID____. If you read the label for some underarm deodorants, you will see that
the mild base, _ALUMINUM_ hydroxide, is one of the ingredients.
You may think that table salt is the only kind of salt there is. Actually, there are whole families of
compounds that are classified as salts. In fact, you can make a salt by adding any acid to any base!
If any acid is added to any base, the H+ from the acid combines with the OH- from the base, and the
two ions form neutral __WATER_ molecules (HOH, or H2O). The __REMAINING_ions form a salt. When
this happens, the reaction is called __ACID-BASE__ __NEUTRALIZATION__. Here are some examples of
salt-formation by neutralization:
Example 1
The salt is the familiar sodium chloride, NaCl. Notice that this relatively safe compound formed, along
with water, from two highly dangerous compounds. Common salt (NaCl) is used to flavour foods. It is in
your blood and other body fluids.
Example 2
The salt formed in this reaction is calcium sulphate. This is the salt in __GYPSUM__, a common building
material used in drywall.
Example 3
The salt formed in this reaction is magnesium sulphate, which is sometimes sold as __EPSOM__salts
used in a hot bath to ease muscle pain.
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Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
Common soap is a type of salt. Hard soap is made by reacting fatty acids (acids found in animal fat)
with lye (sodium hydroxide). One type of soap is sodium __STEARATE__, made by reacting sodium
hydroxide with stearic acid (a natural fatty acid found in plants and animals). “Soft” soaps are made
using potassium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide.
Quick Check
Name the acid and the base that would be used to produce each of these salts:
a) Ammonium nitrate
b) Aluminum sulphate
c) Calcium chloride
d) Potassium carbonate
e) Sodium acetate
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Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
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Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
The carbon in organic compounds is very versatile as it has __FOUR___ valence electrons. This
property allows it to form complex, branched-chain structures, ring structures, and even in cage-like
structures. Several different methods can be used to model these structures. These include the
__STRUCTURAL__ formula, the ____BALL__ and __STICK___model, and the __SPACE____
__FILLING___ model shown in Figure 5 below.
CH4
Molecular formula
Structural formula Shows a single covalent bond
Ball-and-stick model
Space-Filling model
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FIGURE 5 – Different models for methane
Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
To recognize a compound as organic, look for an indication of the presence of carbon in its name,
chemical formula, or diagram. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Certain compounds
that contain carbon are classified as inorganic carbon compounds. These include any compounds that
contain __CARBONATES__, (i.e., CaCO3); _CARBIDES___, (i.e., SiC); and __OXIDES__ (i.e., CO2, CO).
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Ms. Smedley - Science 10 – Chemistry NAME_________________________
2. Alcohols: An alcohol is one kind of organic compound that contains C, H, and O in a specific
structure. The table below shows some common alcohols.
Name Molecular Structural Formula Shortened Space-Filling Model Common Use
formula Structural
Formula
_METHANOL_ CH4O CH3OH Solvent
The end of the Chemistry Unit!!!!! (However you will be using this info in the next units as well!)
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