Acids And Bases The pH Scale

Acids Acids are chemicals that release hydrogen. The faster a chemical releases hydrogen, the more acidic the chemical is. Strength in an acid does not refer to how well it melts something that is called corrosive. Strength refers to how easily a hydrogen is released. Hydrofluoric Acid will seep into your bones, it takes hours, it will liquefy them and the destroy the surrounding tissue. It can also liquefy glass.

Not all acids are bad, they won’t all destroy or melt your skin. Egg yolks, coffee, orange juice, vinegar, soda, lemon juice.

Properties of Acids Taste sour. Think vinegar or lemon juice. Reach with certain metals (Zn, Fe, etc.) to produce hydrogen gas. Hydrogen gas is explosive, yeah!! React with bases to form salts and water.

Bases A substance that produces OH groups. The more OH Groups the more basic the chemical becomes. Bases instead of being called corrosive are called caustic, it means the same thing, it can make you melt, ewwh.

Not all Bases are bad. Cabbage, carrots, almonds, apples, celery, lettuce green tea, olive oil, broccoli, spinach.

Properties of Bases Taste bitter Feel slippery or soapy React with oils and grease React with acids to form salts and water

pH scale is simple 0 – 6.9 = Acid 7.0 = Neutral 7.1 – 14 = Base If you compare two acids and one acid is a 3 on the pH scale and the other acid is a 4 on the pH scale, then the acid with a rating of a 3 is 10X stronger then the pH of 4. A ph of 2 is 100X stronger acid then a 3.

So think about this? How much stronger is an acid that has a pH of 1 compared to an acid with a pH of 3? How much stronger is a base that has a pH of a 11 compared to a base with a pH of a 8?

Fairy Princess Street says, “You can use any acid you want but you can’t burn off my arm hair!”