ACIDS, BASES AND INDICATORS

Contents
Organizer 📌
Indicators........................................................................................................................... - 2 -
Simple Acid-Base Indicators: Flower
extracts..................................................................................................... - 2 -
Commercial Indicators....................................................................................- 2 -
Litmus indicator................................................................................................................... - 2 -
Phenolphthalein and methyl orange....................................................................................- 2 -
Universal Indicators and the pH Scale..................................................................................- 3 -
Acids................................................................................................................................... - 4 -
Properties of Acids............................................................................................................... - 4 -
Bases.................................................................................................................................. - 6 -
Reactions of Acids with Bases.............................................................................................. - 6 -
Effects of Acids on Substances........................................................................- 7 -
Applications of Acids and Bases......................................................................- 8 -
Review Exercises............................................................................................... - 9 -
In the papers…............................................................................................. - 11 -

Objectives

By the end of this Chapter, the learner

should be able to:
• Define indicator, acid, base and pH.
• Prepare and use plant extracts as
acid–base indicators.
• Describe and use the pH scale.
• Use indicators to identify acids and
bases.
• State properties of acids and bases.
• Name the uses of acids and bases.
• State and explain the effects of acids.
 2 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

ACIDS, BASES AND INDICATORS

Some of the foods that man eats are sour while others are bitter. The sour taste is due
to the presence of acids whereas the bitter taste is due to the presence of bases.
Examples of substances that contain acids are fruits such as oranges, lemons and sour
milk. Examples of substances that contain bases include anti-acid tablets and wood ash
solution.

Indicators
Indicators are substances which show different colours when in acids or bases. Such
substances are used to classify various substances as either acids or bases.
Simple Acid-Base Indicators: Flower extracts
When flower extracts are used as indicators, solutions of hydrochloric acid, sulphuric
acid, orange juice and lemon juice give similar colour changes with the same flower
extract.
Lime water, solutions of sodium hydroxide potassium hydroxide, wood ash and baking
powder give a similar but different colour.
Water and sugar solution have no effect on flower extracts. They are neutral substances.
The composition of flower extracts continuously changes with time causing the colour of
the extract to change. The mixture of the flower extract and acid or base also changes
colour with time.
Flower extracts therefore give inconsistent results when used as acid-base
indicators.
For the best results flower extracts should be used when freshly prepared. Other
coloured parts of plants may also be used, for example tradescantia, red cabbage and
beetroot.
Commercial Indicators
The commercial acid-base indicators include litmus indicator (solution and paper),
phenolphthalein and methyl orange.

Litmus indicator
Litmus indicator is one of the commonly used commercial acid-base indicators. The
indicator is also available in paper form as litmus paper.
Litmus indicator is red in an acid solution and blue in a basic solution.
Litmus indicator retains its purple colour in a neutral solution.

Phenolphthalein and methyl orange

Phenolphthalein indicator is colourless in acidic, pink in basic and colourless in
neutral solution. Methyl orange indicator is pink in acidic, yellow in basic and
orange in neutral solution.
These commercial indicators provide no information about the strength of an acid or a
base.

Indicator Colour in:

 3
ACIDS, BASES AND INDICATORS
Acid Base Neutral
Litmus Red Blue Purple
Phenolphthalein Colourless Pink Colourless
Methyl orange Pink Yellow Orange

⚗Practically Speaking🔊
📌

Classifying substances
Take three test tubes and put 2cm 3 of hydrochloric acid in each. To the first test-tube,
add two drops of litmus solution. To the second and third add two drops of
phenolphthalein and methyl orange respectively. Record your observation.
Repeat the experiment using water, lemon juice, solutions or suspensions of the
following: soap, wood ash, baking powder, anti-acid tablets, toothpaste, sour milk,
ammonia, ammonium sulphate, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, carbon (IV) oxide
(carbon dioxide), sulphur (IV) oxide (sulphur dioxide), sulphuric acid, nitric acid, calcium
hydroxide and magnesium oxide.
Classify the substances as acidic, basic or neutral.
Acidic solutions Basic solutions Neutral
solutions
Hydrochloric acid Soap solution Water
Lemon juice Wood ash solution Sodium chloride
Sour milk Baking powder
Ammonium sulphate Anti-acid tablet solution
Carbon (IV) solution Toothpaste
Sulphur dioxide Ammonia solution
solution Sodium hydroxide
Sulphuric acid solution
Nitric acid Calcium hydroxide
solution
Magnesium oxide solution

Universal Indicators and the pH Scale

The universal indicator is a mixture of several indicators. It exhibits a range of
colours in acids and in bases depending on the strength of the solution. These
shades of colours are related to a continuous acid-base scale called the pH scale.
The pH scale has values that range from 0 to 14.
1. The pH values of acids range from zero to values just less than seven. Solutions
of sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid have pH values which range
between 0 to 4 and are strong acids.
Lemon juice and ethanoic acid have pH value which range between 4 and 7, and
are weak acids.
 4 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

As the pH values decreases from 7 to 0, the strength of the acids increases.

2. Distilled water and sodium chloride solution have a pH value of 7. They are
neither acidic nor basic and are neutral.
3. The pH values of bases range between 7 and 14. Solutions of ammonia, calcium
hydroxide and sodium hydrogen carbonate have pH values between 7 and 10.
They are weak bases.
Solutions of wood ash, soap, and sodium hydroxide have pH values ranging from 10
to 14. They are strong bases.

The pH scale is shown

alongside.

Acids
An acid is a compound that reacts with metals to form a salt and hydrogen gas.
Metal + Acid Metal salt + Hydrogen gas

Properties of Acids
Acids have several properties which are discussed below.
Reactions of Acids with Metals
Acids react with metals to produce a metal salt and hydrogen gas.

⚗Practically Speaking🔊
📌
Put a granule of zinc in two test-tubes. Add 2cm 3 of dilute hydrochloric acid to the first
test-tube as shown below.

Record your observations. Repeat the procedure using dilute sulphuric acid in place of
dilute hydrochloric acid. Repeat the experiment using clean magnesium ribbon,
aluminium foil, iron filings, lead and copper turnings instead of zinc.
Observations and Discussion
 5
ACIDS, BASES AND INDICATORS
When the dilute acids are added to zinc, magnesium, aluminium and iron, bubbles of a
colourless gas are evolved. The gas produced is hydrogen gas
When dilute sulphuric acid is added to zinc granules, hydrogen gas and zinc sulphate are
produced.

The reaction can be represented using a word equation.

Zinc + Sulphuric acid Zinc sulphate + Hydrogen gas

Similarly, zinc reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to form zinc chloride and hydrogen
gas.

Zinc + hydrochloric acid Zinc chloride + Hydrogen gas

Magnesium and aluminium react more vigorously with the acids than zinc.

Magnesium + hydrochloric acid Magnesium chloride + Hydrogen gas

Aluminium + Sulphuric acid Aluminium sulphate + Hydrogen gas

Side notes
 The reaction of calcium with dilute sulphuric acid slows down and eventually stops
due to the formation of insoluble calcium sulphate. The insoluble salt coats the
metal and prevents further reaction.
 Lead reacts slowly with both hydrochloric and sulphuric acids but each reaction
eventually stops due to the
formation of insoluble coating
of lead chloride and lead The production of bubbles of a gas is
sulphate respectively. referred to as effervescence. To identify
 Copper does not react with the gas produced, the gas is tested using
either dilute hydrochloric acid or a burning splint. A mixture of hydrogen
dilute sulphuric acid. and air burns with a ‘pop’ sound. This is
 Very reactive metals like the test for hydrogen gas.
potassium, sodium and calcium
react violently with acids. These reactions should not be attempted in the
laboratory.

The table below shows some salts produced by magnesium with different
acids

Dilute acid Metal Name of salt

Hydrochloric Magnesiu Magnesium chloride
acid m Magnesium
Sulphuric acid sulphate
Nitric acid Magnesium nitrate
Carbonic acid Magnesium
Phosphoric carbonate
acid Magnesium
 6 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

phosphate

Reaction of acids with carbonates and hydrogen carbonates

Acids react with carbonates and hydrogen carbonates to produce a salt, water
and carbon (IV) oxide (carbon dioxide).
The general equations for the reactions are;
Acid + carbonate Salt + Water + Carbon (IV) Oxide
Acid + Hydrogen carbonate Salt + Water + Carbon (IV) Oxide

⚗Practically Speaking🔊
📌
Experiment to react acids with carbonates and hydrogen carbonates
Add a spatulaful of sodium carbonate into a test-tube containing about 5cm 3 of dilute
hydrochloric acid. Set up the apparatus as shown below.

Record the observation. Repeat the procedure using dilute sulphuric acid and dilute
nitric acid in place of hydrochloric acid. Record the observations. Repeat the procedure
using calcium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate in place of sodium carbonate.

Observations and Discussion

 When carbonates or hydrogen carbonates are added to dilute acids, effervescence
occurs in test tube A as the solid is used up.
 A white precipitate is formed in test tube B
The colourless gas produced is carbon (IV) oxide. When the carbon (IV) oxide gas is
bubbled through calcium hydroxide solution (lime water), a white precipitate is formed.
This is the test for carbon (IV) oxide. The white precipitate is calcium carbonate.
The following word equations represent some of the reactions between acids and
carbonates or hydrogen carbonates.
Sodium carbonate + hydrochloric acid Sodium chloride + water + carbon (IV)
oxide
Calcium carbonate + nitric acid Calcium nitrate + water + carbon (IV) oxide
Copper carbonate + Sulphuric acid Copper Sulphate + water + carbon (IV) oxide.
 7
ACIDS, BASES AND INDICATORS
Sodium hydrogen carbonate + hydrochloric acid Sodium chloride + water +
carbon (IV) oxide
Side notes
The reaction between sulphuric acid and calcium carbonate stops after a short while
due to the formation of an insoluble layer of calcium sulphate which stops further
reaction.
Calcium carbonate + Sulphuric acid Calcium sulphate (solid) + water +
carbon (IV) oxide

Bases
A base is a substance which when reacted with acids forms salt and water as the only
products. Metal oxides, metal hydroxides and ammonia solution are bases.

Reactions of Acids with Bases

When acids react with bases, they form a salt and water as the only products. Salt and
water are neutral products hence the reaction is referred to as a neutralisation
reaction.

⚗Practically Speaking🔊
📌
Experiment to react acids with bases
(a) Measure 10cm3 of dilute sodium hydroxide solution and put it in a clean conical
flask. Add two to three drops of phenolphthalein indicator. Add dilute hydrochloric
acid drop by drop, while shaking the conical flask, count the number of drops until
the indicator just changes colour. Repeat without adding the indicator. Add the same
number of drops of hydrochloric acid to 10 cm 3 of dilute sodium hydroxide. Put the
resulting solution in an evaporating dish and heat the solution to saturate it. Allow
the saturated solution to cool. Record your observations.
(b) Place a small sample of calcium oxide into a test-tube. Add to it 5cm 3 of dilute nitric
acid. Shake the mixture. Repeat the procedure using the following solids in different
test-tubes. Zinc oxide, copper (II) oxide, magnesium oxide and lead (II) oxide. Record
your observation. Repeat the experiment using dilute hydrochloric acid in place of
dilute nitric acid.
Side notes
 Phenolphthalein indicator is used to determine the end of the reaction, end point.
The indicator is used to determine the quantity of acid needed to react with
10cm3 of dilute sodium hydroxide.
 It is not used in the next reaction to avoid contamination of the product.
Observations and discussion
 8 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

 The colour of phenolphthalein is pink in basic solution. At the end point, the colour of
the indicator in the solution turns from pink to colourless.
Sodium hydroxide reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to form sodium chloride and water
only.
Sodium hydroxide + Hydrochloric acid Sodium chloride + Water
(base) (acid) (salt)
The following are the word equations for the reactions between some metal oxides and
acids.
Calcium oxide + Hydrochloric acid Calcium chloride + water
Zinc oxide + Hydrochloric acid Zinc chloride + water
Magnesium oxide + nitric acid Magnesium nitrate + water
Lead (II) oxide + nitric acid Lead nitrate + water
Copper (II) oxide + sulphuric acid copper sulphate + water

 The table below summarises the properties of acids and bases.

Acids Bases
Have a sour taste Have a bitter taste
Have pH values below 7 Have pH values above 7
Turn litmus red Turn Litmus blue
Turn phenolphthalein colourless Turn phenolphthalein pink
Turn Methyl orange pink Turn methyl orange yellow
React with bases to form salt and water only React with acids to form salt
React with carbonates to form salt, water and carbon and
(VI) oxide water only.
React with metals to produce salt and hydrogen gas

Effects of Acids on Substances

Industries emit several gases and waste products into the environment leading to
environmental pollution. Some of these gases dissolve in rain water to form acid rain.
This rain reacts with stone work, iron roofs and other metallic surfaces causing damage.
This effect is called corrosion. When these acidic gases in the atmosphere are inhaled
they cause respiratory disorders.
Soil may become acidic due to leaching and water logging. Such soil is unsuitable for the
growth of many plants.

Applications of Acids and Bases

Acids and bases have several applications.
 9
ACIDS, BASES AND INDICATORS
Uses of acids
Carbonic Acid is used in aerated drinks to enhance taste.
Hydrochloric acid is used to clean metal surfaces.
Sulphuric acid is used in car batteries, manufacture of ferterlizers, etching of metals,
manufacture of paints and detergents.
Nitric acid is used to manufacture of dyes, paints, explosives and fertilizers.
Ethanoic acid and citric acid are used as a flavour in foods.
Uses of bases

Base Use
Magnesium oxide and Manufacture of anti-acid tablets.
hydroxide Lining of furnaces.
Calcium oxide and hydroxide Neutralising soil acidity and industrial
wastes.
Making cement and concrete.
Manufacture of toothpaste.
Sodium hydroxide Manufacture of soap.
As a degreasing agent.
Ammonia solution As a degreasing agent.
Manufacture of fertilizers.
Manufacture of nitric acid.

Review Exercises
 10 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

1. (a) Define the term.

(i) acid
(ii) base
(b) In terms of taste, differentiate between acids and bases.
2. Classify the following substances into those that contain acids and those that
contain bases: vinegar, milk of magnesia, stomach secretions, lemon Juice, tooth
paste and soapy water.
3. State two safety rules that you should follow when using acids and bases.
4. Acids are said to have a sour taste. Why is it advisable to use indicators rather
than the sense of taste when testing for acids?
5. Acids can be divided into two groups. State the two groups and give an example
of an acid that falls in each group.
6. Citric acid, lactic acid, methanoic acid and hydrochloric acid are found in various
substances in plants and animals. State where these acids occur.
7. (a) What is an indicator?
(b) Name three commercial Indicators.
(c) State one advantage of commercial indicators over plant extract indicators.
8. Suggest the pH value of the following solutions:
(a) Dilute hydrochloric acid solution. (b) Wood ash solution.
(c) Sodium hydroxide solution. (d) Orange juice.
9. Describe how you can make acid-base indicators from flower petals and state how
you can test it.
10. The table below shows pH values of solutions A, B, C, D and E.

solution A B C D E
pH 6.5 2. 8. 11. 7.0
0 5 5
(a) Which solution is likely to be
(i) Rain water? (ii) Wood ash?
(iii) Sodium chloride? (iv) Tooth paste?
(b) Which solution will react with magnesium ribbon most vigorously? Give a
reason.
11. (a) What is a universal indicator? _________
(b) State the advantage universal indicator has over the common acid-base
indicators.
12. (a) What is an alkali?
(b) Name two examples of alkalis.
13. Name the acids found in
(a) Car battery b) Lemon fruit
(b) Nitrate fertilisers d) Vinegar
14. State the colour of the following in universal indicator.
(a) Ethanoic acid b) Sodium hydroxide
(b) Sulphuric acid d) Ammonium hydroxide
15. Name two common commercial indicators and state their colours in acidic and
basic solutions.
16. Tooth pastes contain bases such as calcium hydrogen carbonate. Explain.
17. Although hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice in our stomach helps break down
the food we eat, if too much hydrochloric acid is produced, indigestion may result.
Antacid tablets containing bases neutralise excess acids in the human stomachs.
 11
ACIDS, BASES AND INDICATORS
(a) Name any two bases found in antacid tablets.
(b) Give the name of the type of reaction that takes place when antacid tablets
are swallowed.
(c) Write a word equation for the reaction that occurs in the body during
relieving of indigestion.
18. The sourness of a substance is a reasonable guide to Its acidity, since sourness
increases with increasing acidity. If solution A is more sour than solution B, then it
is likely that: (write true or false)
(a) Solution A has a higher pH than solution B________
(b) Solution A has more hydroxide ions than solution B.__________
(c) Solution B is a stronger acid than solution A._______
(d) Solution A has a higher concentration of hydrogen ions than B.________
19. Arrange the following substances starting with the most acidic to the most basic.
(i) Grape fruit juice of Ph 3.0 (ii) Detergent of pH 10.5
(iii) Gastric juice of pH = 1 .0 (iv) Sea water of pH = 8.5
20. (a) State three properties of a typical acid.
(b) State three properties of a base.
21. Write a word equation for the reaction between dilute sulphuric (Vl) acid and the
following:
(a) Magnesium metal (b) Copper (ll) oxide
(c) Potassium hydroxide (d) Zinc carbonate

22. Give one use of each one of the following:

(a) Dilute hydrochloric acid ______________
(b) Dilute sulphuric (Vl) acid ______________
(c) Magnesium hydroxide _______________
 12 INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

In the papers….
1. 2006 Q 19 P1
Give one use of magnesium hydroxide. (1
mark)

2. 2006 Q 24 P1
(a) Complete the table below to show the colour of the given indicator in (1
mark)
Indicator Colour in
Acid Basic
solution solution
Methyl orange Yellow
Phenolphthalei Colourless
n
(b) How does the pH value of 0.1 M potassium hydroxide solution compare with
that of 0.1M aqueous ammonia? Explain.
(2 marks)

3. 2007 Q 5 P1
When a student was stung by a nettle plant, a teacher applied an aqueous
solution of ammonia to the affected area of the skin and the student was relieved
of pain Explain. (2 marks)

4. 2009 Q 22 P1
A student added very dilute sulphuric (VI) acid to four substance and recorded the
observations shown in the table below.

Test Substance Gas given

off
1 Sodium Yes
2 Iron No
3 Carbon Yes
4 Copper No
For which tests were the observations wrong? Explain. (2
marks)

5. 2009 Q 30 P1
Starting with red roses, describe how;
(a) A solution containing red pigment may be prepared; (1
mark)
(b) The solution can be shown to be an indicator (2 marks)

6. 2011 Q 20 P1
Describe how the PH of anti- acid (Actal) powder can be determined in the
Laboratory
(2 marks)

7. 2014 Q27 P1
(a) Name a suitable solvent for extracting an indicator from flowers.
(1 mark)
(b) Give a reason why the solvent named in (a) above is used (1
mark)
 13
ACIDS, BASES AND INDICATORS

8. 2015 Q15 P1, 2016 Q23 P1

Given the following substances: wood ash, lemon juice and sodium chloride.
(a) Name one commercial indicator that can be used to show whether wood
ash, lemon juice and sodium chloride are acidic, basic or neutral.
(1 mark)
(b) Classify the substances in (a) above as acids, bases or neutral (2
marks)
Acid Base Neutral

9. 2016 Q29 P1
When a student was stung by a nettle plant, a teacher applied an aqueous
solution of ammonia to the affected area of the skin and the student was relieved
of pain. Explain. (2 marks)

10. 2017 Q14 P1

Using the elements chlorine, calcium and phosphorus:
(a) Select elements that will form an oxide whose aqueous solution has a pH
less than 7. (1
mark)
(b) Write an equation for the reaction between calcium oxide and dilute
hydrochloric acid.
(1 mark)
(c) Give one use of calcium oxide. (1 mark)

11. 2018 Q26 P1

Explain why commercial indicators are preferred to flower extracts as acid-base
indicators.
(2 marks)

12. 2019 Q6 P1.

A farmer intended to plant cabbages in his farm. He first tested the pH of the soil
and found it to be 3.0. If cabbages do well in alkaline soils, explain the advice that
would be given to the farmer in order to realise a high yield.
(2 marks)

13. 2019 Q16 P1

Complete the following table. (2 mark)
Solutio pH Nature of solution
n
H 1.0
I Neutral
J Weak acid
K 13.0
Explain why a solution of ammonia in methylbenzene has no effects on red litmus
paper while in aqueous ammonia red litmus paper turns blue.
(1 mark)