1. Acids & Bases Characteristics Examples solution with pH < 7
tastes sour
react with bases
turn litmus red
solution with pH > 7
tastes bitter
soapy texture (slippery feel)
react with acids
turn litmus blue
Strong:
stomach acid
battery acid
strong hydrochloric acid
Weak:
tomato juice
saliva
coffee
ammonia
drain cleaner
oven cleaner
baking soda
detergent
antacids
Characteristics
Examples

2. pH measure of hydrogen ions in a solution
pH < 7 pH = pH > 7
acidic neutral basic
(or alkaline)
4.6 – Fish Start to Die
4.0 – Most Animals Dead
Lakes & Soil in Alberta
ACIDIC
NEUTRAL
BASIC
Oven Cleaner
Stomach Acid
Tomato Juice
Pure Water Human Blood
Antacids

3. Wine
Carrots
Acid Rain
Aspirin
Rain Water
Milk
Human Blood
Borax
Toothpaste
Detergent/Soap
Household cleaners
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)

5. Measuring pH pH meter acid-base indicators universal indicators
directly measure pH
acid-base indicators
e.g. blue litmus paper turns red in acid
e.g. pink litmus paper turns blue in base
universal indicators
e.g. phenophthalein,
bromothymol blue,
methyl orange

6. Neutral Substances pH 7, neither acidic nor basic
when an acid and base are mixed they react and form a neutral solution → this reaction is called NEUTRALIZATION
neutralization produces salt and water
e.g. HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaCl(s) + H2O(l)
hydrochloric sodium sodium water
acid hydroxide chloride

7. Impacts to the Environment
industrial activities emit gases such as CO2 and SO2
when these gases dissolve in water they form acids → ACID RAIN
acid rain can lower the pH of water and soil… having a negative impact on the health and survival of many living organsims
sometimes we treat acidic areas with lime (a base) to neutralize the acid