Chapter – 2 Acid Bases and Salts

Solutions
Intext Questions
Pg. 18
1. (i) Put the red litmus paper in all the test tubes, turn by turn. The solution which turns red litmus to blue
will be a basic solution. The blue litmus paper formed here can now be used to test the acidic solution.
(ii) Put the blue litmus paper obtained above in the remaining two test-tubes, turn-by-turn. The solution
which turns the blue litmus paper to red will be the acidic solution.
(iii) The solution which has no effect on any litmus paper will be neutral and hence it will be distilled
water.
Activity 2.1
Procedure: Put a drop of each solution on a watch glass and test with a drop of all the indicators.
Observations:
Sample Solution Blue litmus Red litmus Phenolphthalein Methyl orange
solution
HCl , HNO3 , Change to red No colour change Colour less Changes to Red
H2SO4
NaOH , No Change Changes to blue Changes to Reddish Changes Yellow in
Ca(OH)2, -pink colour
KOH, Mg(OH)2,
NH4OH

Conclusion: These indicators tell us whether a substance is acidic or basic by chance in colour.

Activity 2.2
Observations: In the above activity the following observations have been observed-
Onion: Onion has a peculiar smell due to the presence of Sulphurous allium. The smell of onion diminishes in a
base because it reacts like acid and remains as it is in acid.
Vanilla essence: Vanilla has a pleasant odour due to the presence of an aldehyde and this is a weak acid so the odour
of vanilla essence disappears when it is added to a base. The odour of vanilla essence persists when it is added to an
acid.
Clove Oil: In bases, its characteristic smell cannot be detected.
Conclusion: The olfactory indicators change the odour in acidic and basic mediums.

Activity 2.3
Observation: When we bring a burning candle near a gas-filled bubble the gas burns with a popping sound.
Conclusion: Zinc metal displaces hydrogen from sulphuric acid.

Zn+ H2SO4 → ZnSO4 +H2↑

Activity 2.4
Observations- The gas burns with a blue flame and creates a popping sound.
Conclusion- Bases react with metals; such as zinc and aluminum to liberate hydrogen gas.

2NaOH(aq) + Zn(s) → Na2ZnO2 (aq) + H2(g)

Sodium hydroxide Zinc Sodium zincate
 Activity 2.5
Observation- A brisk effervescence is seen in the reaction mixture in both test tubes.

Test Tube A-
Na2CO3 + 2HCl →2NaCl + H2O +CO2

Test Tube B-
NaHCO3 + HCl → NaCl + H2O +CO2

When the gas produced in each test tube is passed through lime water with the help of a delivery tube. Lime water
turns milky.

Ca(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g) → CaCO3(s) + H2O(I)

Lime water milky

When the gas is passed in excess, calcium hydrogen carbonate is formed and turns milkiness.

CaCO3(s) + CO2(g) → H2O(I) → Ca(HCO3)2(aq)

Conclusion: All acids decompose metal carbonates and metal hydrogen carbonates with the liberation of CO2 gas,
water, and corresponding salt.

Activity 2.6
Observation: When phenolphthalein is added to NaOH solution, the solution turns pink but colour disappears on
adding a few drops of HCI to it.

NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H2O

Conclusion: This experiment shows that the addition of HCI solution destroys the alkaline nature of NaOH. On the
other hand, the addition of NaOH solution destroys the acidic nature of HCI, i.e., both NaOH and HCI appear to
cancel the effect of each other.
Activity 2.7
Observation- The colour of the solution becomes blue-green and the copper oxide dissolves.
Conclusion- The blue-green colour of the solution is due to the formation of copper (II) chloride in the reaction.

2HCI + CuO →CuCI2 + H2O

Metal oxides are basic in nature so they produce salt and water on reacting with acid.

Pg. 22
1. Curd and sour substances should not be kept in brass and copper vessels because these and other sour
food-stuffs contain acids which can react with the metal of the vessel to form poisonous metal
compounds which can cause food poisoning and affect our health adversely.

2. (i) Hydrogen (H2) gas is liberated when an acid reacts with a metal.
(ii) Illustration: Set up the apparatus as shown in the given figure. Take some zinc granules in the test tube.
Add about 5 mL dilute hydrochloric acid slowly. Soon the reaction between zinc and hydrochloric acid
starts and hydrogen gas is evolved.
 (iii) Test for H2 gas :
H2 gas is not soluble in water. When passed through soap solution, it gets trapped into bubbles.
Bring a burning candle near the soap bubble filled with gas. The soap bubble bursts and hydrogen gas
burns with a pop sound.
3. As the end product is calcium chloride and the gas formed is carbon dioxide, the metal compound A must
be calcium carbonate. Therefore, the reaction between calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid is

Activity 2.8
Observation- The bulb will start glowing in the case of acids but glucose and alcohol solutions do not conduct
electricity because they do not produce ions in water.
Conclusion- The glowing bulb indicates that there is a flow of electric current through the solution. The
electric current is carried through the solution by ions.

Activity 2.9
Observation: When we bring dry blue litmus paper near the opening of the calcium chloride tube, colour of
the litmus paper remains unchanged. On bringing a moistened blue litmus paper near the mouth of the delivery
tube, the blue litmus changes to red.
Conclusion: Dry HCI gas has no effect on blue litmus paper. But in the presence of moisture, hydrogen chloride
gas turns blue litmus to red. Thus, HCI gas shows its acidic character only in presence of water.

HCI(g)+ H2O(I) → H3O+ + CI-

Similarly, bases in the presence of water produce OH- (aq) ions.

NH3(g) + H2O(I) → NH4(aq) + OH-(aq)

Activity 2.10
Observation: The temperature of the beaker rises in both cases.
Conclusion: Dilution of H2SO4 and NaOH in water is an exothermic process.

Pg. 25
1. H+ ions in aqueous solution are responsible for acidic character. HCl, HNO3, etc. give H+ ions in water
while alcohol and glucose do not give H+ ion in water. Therefore, alcohol and glucose do not show acidic
character.
2. The aqueous solution of an acid conducts electricity due to the presence of charged particles called ions in
it.
3. Dry HCl gas does not give H+ ions and therefore does not change the colour of dry litmus paper.
4. While diluting an acid it is recommended that the acid should be added to water and not water to the acid
because if water is added to concentrated acid to dilute it, then a large amount of heat is evolved at once.
This heat changes some of the water to steam explosively which can splash the acid on one’s face or
clothes and cause acid burns.
 5. When a given amount of an acid is added to water, there is a fixed number of hydronium ions per volume
of the solution. On dilution, the number of hydronium ions per volume decreases and concentration
decreases
6. The concentration of hydroxide ions will increase when excess base is dissolved in a solution of sodium
hydroxide, but it happens to a limited extent only after which the concentration becomes almost constant.

Activity 2.11
Conclusion and Observation

Activity 2.12
Conclusion: The best pH value range for soil is approximately 6 to 7 as this is the range in which most
nutrients can be readily available.

Pg. 28
1. A pH value of less than 7 indicates an acidic solution, while greater than 7 indicates a basic solution. Since
solution A has more hydrogen ion concentration, solution A is acidic and solution B is basic.
2. More the concentration of H+ ions, higher the acidic nature of the solution.
3. Basic solutions have H+ (aq) ions. But these are far less in number than OH– ions that is responsible for
their basic nature.
4. If the soil is too acidic (having low pH) then it is treated with materials like quick lime (calcium oxide) or
slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) or chalk (calcium carbonate).

Activity 2.13
Observations
 Activity 2.14

Activity 2.15
Observation- Blue-coloured copper sulphate crystals on heating leave behind white anhydrous copper sulphate
and water droplets are seen in the upper parts of the boiling tube.
Conclusion- Copper sulphate crystals on heating lose water to form anhydrous copper sulphate which combines
with water to formblue-colouredd copper sulphate crystals.

Pg. 33
1. Bleaching powder.
2. Slaked lime Ca (OH)2.
3. Sodium carbonate.
4. Solution of sodium hydrogen carbonate on heating gives sodium carbonate and carbon dioxide gas is
evolved

5.

Exercise Questions
1. (d) 10
2. (b) HCl
3. (d) 16 mL
4. (c) Antacid
5. (a) Zinc + dilute sulphuric acid → Zinc sulphate + Hydrogen
Zn (s) + H2SO4 (aq) → ZnSO4 (aq) + H2 (g)
(b) Magnesium ribbon + dil. Hydrochloric acid → Magnesium chloride + Hydrogen
Mg (s) + 2 HCl (aq) → MgCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)
(c) Aluminium powder + dil. Sulphuric acid > Aluminium sulphate + Hydrogen
2Al (s) + 3H2SO4 (aq) → Al2(SO4)3 (aq) + 3H2 (g)
 (d) Iron filings + Dilute hydrochloric acid > Ferric chloride + Hydrogen
2Fe (s) + 6HCl (aq) → 2FeCl3 (aq) + 3H2 (g)
6. Though compounds like alcohol and glucose contain hydrogen but they do not ionise in the solution to
produce H+ ions on passing a current through them.
(i) Take solutions of alcohol and glucose.
(ii) Fix two nails on a cork, and place the cork in a 100 mL beaker.
(iii) Connect the nails to the two terminals of a 6-volt battery through a bulb and a switch, as shown in
the given Figure.

(iv) Now pour alcohol in the beaker and switch on the current.
(v) The bulb does not glow.
(vi) Repeat the experiment with glucose. The bulb does not glow in this case also.
(vii) This means no ions or H+ ions are present in the solution.
This shows that alcohols and glucose are not acids.
7. Distilled water does not conduct electricity because it does not contain any ionic compound (like acids,
bases or salts) dissolved in it.
Rainwater, while falling to the earth through the atmosphere, dissolves an acidic gas carbon dioxide
from the air and forms carbonic acid (H2CO3). Carbonic acid provides hydrogen ions, H+ (aq) and
carbonate ions, CO(aq)32to rainwater. Hence, due to the presence of carbonic acid which provides ions
to rainwater, the rainwater conducts electricity.
8. The acidic behaviour of acids is due to the presence of hydrogen ions, [H+ (aq) ions], in them. The acid
produces hydrogen ions only in the presence of water. So in the absence of water, an acid will not form
hydrogen ions and hence will not show its acidic behaviour
9. a) D
(b) C
(c) B
(d) A
(e) E (Increasing order of hydrogen ion concentration)
11 9 < 7 < 4 < 1 i. e., C < E < D < A < B
10. Fizzing will occur more vigorously in test tube A. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid whereas
acetic acid (CH3COOH) is a weak acid. Being strong acid, the hydrochloric acid solution contains a
much greater amount of hydrogen ions in it due to which the fizzing will occur more vigorously in test
tube A (containing hydrochloric acid). The fizzing is due to the evolution of hydrogen gas which is
formed by the action of acid on the magnesium metal of magnesium ribbon.
11. pH of milk falls below 6 as it turns into curd due to the formation of lactic acid during this process.
Lactic acid present in it reduces its pH value.
12. a) Milk is made slightly alkaline so that it may not get sour easily due to the formation of lactic acid in
it.
(b) The alkaline milk takes a longer time to set into curd because the lactic acid being formed has to first
neutralise the alkali present in it.
13. Plaster of Paris should be stored in a moisture proof container because the presence of moisture can
cause slow setting of plaster of Paris by bringing about its hydration. This will make the plaster of Paris
useless after sometime.
14. The reaction between an acid and a base to form salt and water is called a neutralisation reaction.
Examples:

15. Uses of washing soda:

(i) Washing soda is used in glass, soap and paper industries.
(ii) It is used for removing the permanent hardness of water.
Uses of baking soda:
(i) Baking soda is used as an antacid in medicines to remove acidity of the stomach.
(ii) Baking soda is used for making baking powder (used in making cakes, bread, etc.).