Acids & Bases
They are everywhere..
In your food
In your house
EVEN IN YOU!!!!!
What is an acid?
An acid is a solution that has an excess of H+ ions. It
comes from the Latin word acidus that means
"sharp" or "sour".
The more H+ ions, the more acidic the solution.
Properties of an Acid
1. Taste: Sour
Acids have a sour taste (e.g., lemon juice
contains citric acid).
Properties of an Acid
2. pH: Less than 7
Acids have a pH value below 7 (the lower the
pH, the stronger the acid).
Properties of an Acid
3. Conducts Electricity
Acids ionize in water, releasing H⁺ ions, which
allow them to conduct electricity
Properties of an Acid
4. Turns Blue Litmus Red
Litmus paper test:
Blue litmus → turns red in acid.
Red litmus → stays red in acid.
Properties of an Acid
5. Reacts with Metals to Produce Hydrogen Gas
Acid + Metal → Salt + H₂
Example: HCl + Zn → ZnCl₂ + H₂
6. Reacts with Bases to Form Salt and Water
Neutralization reaction:
Example: HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H₂O
Properties of an Acid
7. Corrosive Nature
Strong acids can corrode metals and burn skin
(e.g., sulfuric acid).
Uses of Acids
1. Industrial Uses
Sulfuric Acid (H₂SO₄) – Used in car batteries,
fertilizers, and metal cleaning.
Uses of Acids
1. Industrial Uses
Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) – Used in steel
manufacturing and household cleaners.
Uses of Acids
1. Industrial Uses
Nitric Acid (HNO₃) – Used to make fertilizers,
explosives, and dyes.
Uses of Acids
2. Food & Beverages
Citric Acid (C₆H₈O₇) – Found in citrus fruits,
used in soft drinks & food preservation.
Uses of Acids
2. Food & Beverages
Acetic Acid (CH₃COOH) – Main component of
vinegar, used for cooking & pickling.
Uses of Acids
2. Food & Beverages
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) – Found in fruits,
essential for health.
Uses of Acids
3. Medicine & Health
Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin) – Pain relief and
anti-inflammatory drug.
Uses of Acids
3. Medicine & Health
Gastric Acid (stomach) – Helps digest food and
kill bacteria.
Uses of Acids
4. Cleaning Products
Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) – Used in toilet cleaners
and descaling agents.
Uses of Acids
4. Cleaning Products
Phosphoric Acid (H₃PO₄) – Removes rust from
metals and is found in some sodas.
Uses of Acids
5. Laboratory & Research
Used in chemical experiments and pH control in
solutions.
What is a base?
A base is a solution that
has an excess of OH-
ions.
Another word for base
is alkali.
Properties of a Base
1. Taste: Bitter
Bases have a bitter taste (e.g., baking soda).
Properties of a Base
2. Feel: Slippery
Bases feel slippery because they react with skin
oils to form soap-like substances.
Properties of a Base
3. pH: Greater than 7
Bases have a pH value above 7 (the higher the
pH, the stronger the base).
Properties of a Base
4. Turns Red Litmus Blue
Litmus paper test:
Red litmus → turns blue in a base.
Blue litmus → stays blue in a base.
Properties of a Base
5. Conducts Electricity
Bases dissociate into ions (OH⁻) in water,
allowing them to conduct electricity.
Example: NaOH → Na⁺ + OH⁻
Properties of a Base
6. Reacts with Acids (Neutralization)
Base + Acid → Salt + Water
Example: NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H₂O
Properties of a Base
7. Can be Corrosive or Caustic
Strong bases (like NaOH) can burn skin and
damage materials.
Uses of Bases
1. Household Uses
Soap & Detergents – Made from sodium
hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH).
Uses of Bases
1. Household Uses
Baking Soda (NaHCO₃) – Used in cooking and
cleaning.
Uses of Bases
1. Household Uses
Ammonia (NH₃) – Found in window cleaners
and floor cleaners.
Uses of Bases
2. Industrial Uses
Paper Production – Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
is used to break down wood pulp.
Uses of Bases
2. Industrial Uses
Textile Industry – Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)is
used to process cotton and remove impurities.
Uses of Bases
2. Industrial Uses
Soap & Shampoo Manufacturing – Bases help
in the saponification process to make soap.
Uses of Bases
3. Medicine & Healthcare
Antacids (Milk of Magnesia - Mg(OH)₂) –
Used to neutralize stomach acid.
Uses of Bases
3. Medicine & Healthcare
Toothpaste (Calcium Hydroxide - Ca(OH)₂) –
Helps fight acidity in the mouth.
Uses of Bases
4. Agriculture
Fertilizers (Ammonium Hydroxide - NH₄OH)
– Helps plants grow by providing nitrogen.
Uses of Bases
4. Agriculture
Lime (Calcium Hydroxide - Ca(OH)₂) – Used
to reduce soil acidity and improve crop yield.
Uses of Bases
5. Chemical Reactions & Laboratories
Battery Production – Used in alkaline batteries
(KOH, NaOH).
Uses of Bases
5. Chemical Reactions & Laboratories
Neutralization Reactions – Used to balance
acids in experiments.
pH Scale
pH is a measure of how acidic or
basic a solution is.
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14.
Acidic solutions have pH values
below 7
A solution with a pH of 0 is very
acidic.
A solution with a pH of 7 is neutral.
Pure water has a pH of 7.
Basic solutions have pH values
above 7.
THANK YOU
