Acids and Bases
The pH scale goes from 0 to 14
- The pH scale is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a solution is
- The lower the pH of a solution, the more acidic it is
- The high the pH of a solution, the more alkaline it is
- A neutral substance has pH 7
You can measure the pH of a solution
- An indicator is a dye that changed colour depending on whether it’s above or below a certain pH
- Some indicators contain a mixture of dyes meaning they gradually change colour
- Called wide range indicators for example universal indicator
- A pH probe attached to a pH meter can also be used to measure pH electronically
- The probe is placed in the solution you are measuring and the pH is given on a digital display as a numerical value meaning its more accurate
Acids and bases neutralise each other
- An acid is a substance that forms aqueous solution with a pH of less than 7
- Acids form H+ions in water
- A base is a substance with a pH greater than 7
- An alkali is a base that dissolves in water to form a solution with a pH greater than 7
- Alkalis form OH-ions in water
- The reaction between acids and bases is called neutralisation:
- Acids + base - salt + water
- Neutralisation between acids and alkalis can be seen in terms on H+ and OH-ions:
- H+ + OH- - H20
- When an acid neutralises a base the products are neutral
- An indicator can be used too show that a neutralisation reaction is over
- Neutralisation reactions of strong acids and alkalis can be used to calculate the concentration of an acid or alkali by titration, there is more about this technique