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Glossary:

Acid – An acid is a solution with a pH value less than 7.

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Alkali – An alkali is a soluble base.

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Base – A substance that neutralises an acid. Those that dissolve in water are called alkalis.

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Corrosive – A substance is corrosive if it can burn your skin or eyes.

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Irritant – A substance that makes your skin itch or swell up a little.

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Neutralisation – In a neutralization reaction, an acid cancels out a base or a base cancels out an acid.

pH – The pH scale shows whether a substance is acidic, alkaline or neutral. An acid has a pH between 0 and 7. An alkaline has a pH between 7 and 14. A solution of pH 7 is neutral.

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Reactivity – The tendency of a substance to undergo a chemical reaction.

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Universal indicator – An indicator that changes colour to show the pH of a solution. It is a mixture of dyes.

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Acids and Alkalis

• A base is a substance that neutralises an acid. An alkali is a soluble base
• If an acid reacts with a base, there are two products, a salt and water.
• If an acid reacts with a metal there are two products, a salt and hydrogen.
• Sulfuric acid makes sulfates, hydrochloric acid makes chlorides and nitric acid makes nitrates.

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Acids and Alkalis

Neutralisation

• When acids and a base react they form water and a salt.
• The water should be neutral, hence the process is called neutralisation.
• The experiment can be seen here.

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