The

The Chemistry
Chemistry of
of Acids
Acids and
and Bases
Bases
Acid and Bases
 Acids
Have a sour taste. Vinegar is a solution of acetic
acid. Citrus fruits contain citric acid.
React with certain metals to produce hydrogen gas.
React with carbonates and bicarbonates to produce
carbon dioxide gas

Bases
Have a bitter taste.
Feel slippery. Many soaps contain bases.
 Some Properties of Acids
 Produce H+ (as H3O+) ions in water (the hydronium ion
is a hydrogen ion attached to a water molecule)
 Taste sour
 Corrode metals
 Electrolytes
 React with bases to form a salt and water
 pH is less than 7
 Turns blue litmus paper to red “Blue to Red A-CID”
 Acid Nomenclature Review
Anion Ending Acid Name
No Oxygen -ide hydro-(stem)-ic acid

w/Oxygen -ate (stem)-ic acid

-ite (stem)-ous acid

• HBr (hydrobromic acid) Br – (ion bromide)

• HCl (hydrochloric acid) Cl – (ion chloride)
• H2SO3 (sulfurous acid) SO32– (ion sulfite)
• H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) SO42– (ion sulfate)
Acid Nomenclature Flowchart
AC ID S
s tart w ith 'H '

2 elem en ts 3 elem en ts

h y d ro - p refix n o h y d ro - p refix
-ic en d in g

-a te en d in g -ite en d in g
b ec om es b ec om es
-ic en d in g -o u s en d in g
Some Properties of Bases
 Produce OH- ions in water

 Taste bitter, chalky

 Are electrolytes

 Feel soapy, slippery

 React with acids to form salts and water

 pH greater than 7

 Turns red litmus paper to blue “Basic Blue”

Some Common Bases
NaOH sodium hydroxide lye
KOH potassium hydroxide liquid soap
Ba(OH)2 barium hydroxide stabilizer for plastics

Mg(OH)2 magnesium hydroxide “MOM” Milk of

magnesia
Al(OH)3 aluminum hydroxideMaalox (antacid)
Acid/Base definitions
 Definition1: Arrhenius (traditional)
HCl  H+ + Cl-
(Acid)
NaOH  Na+ + OH-
(Base)
 Definition2: Brønsted – Lowry
 NH3 + H2O  NH4+ + OH-
(Base) (Acid) (Acid) (Base)
 Definition1: Lewis
 BF3 + :NH3  F3B:NH3
(Acid) (Base)
Arrhenius acid is a substance that produces H+ (H3O+) in water

Arrhenius base is a substance that produces OH- in water

 A Brønsted-Lowry acid is a proton donor
A Brønsted-Lowry base is a proton acceptor

conjugate conjugate
base acid
acid base
The Brønsted definition means:
NH3 is a BASE in water - and water is itself an ACID
++ --
NH
NH33 ++ HH22O
O NH +
NH44 + OHOH
Base
Base Acid
Acid Acid
Acid Base
Base
Conjugate Pairs
Learning Check!
Label the acid, base, conjugate acid,
and conjugate base in each reaction:

HCl + OH--  Cl-- + H22O

H22O + H22SO44  HSO44-- + H33O++

 Lewis acid - a substance that
accepts an electron pair
Example: BF3

Lewis base - a substance that

donates an electron pair
Example: NH3
Lewis Acid-Base Interactions in Biology

• The heme group in hemo-

globin can interact with O2 and
CO.
• The Fe ion in hemoglobin is a
Lewis acid
• O2 and CO can act as Lewis
bases
Heme group
The pH scale is a way of expressing the
strength of acids and bases.
Instead of using very small numbers, we
just use the NEGATIVE power of 10 on the
Molarity of the H+ (or OH-) ion.

Under 7 = acid
7 = neutral
Over 7 = base
pH of Common Substances
 Calculating the pH
pH = - log [H+]
(Remember that the [ ] mean Molarity)
Example: If [H+] = 1 X 10-10
pH = - log 1 X 10-10
pH = - (- 10)
pH = 10
Example: If [H+] = 1.8 X 10-5
pH = - log 1.8 X 10-5
pH = - (- 4.74)
pH = 4.74
 More About Water
H2O can function as both an ACID and a BASE.
In pure water there can be AUTOIONIZATION

Equilibrium constant for water = Kw

Kw = [H3O+] [OH-] = 1.00 x 10-14 at 25 oC
 Autoionization OH--
OH

++
H O
H33O

Kw = [H3O+] [OH-] = 1.00 x 10-14 at 25 oC

In a neutral solution [H3O+] = [OH-]
so Kw = [H3O+]2 = [OH-]2
and so [H3O+] = [OH-] = 1.00 x 10-7 M
pOH
• Since acids and bases are opposites, pH and
pOH are opposites!
• pOH does not really exist, but it is useful for
changing bases to pH.
• pOH looks at the perspective of a base

pOH = - log [OH-]

Since pH and pOH are on opposite ends,

pH + pOH = 14
pH [H++] [OH--] pOH
 [H3O+], [OH-] and pH
What is the pH of the 0.0010 M NaOH
solution?
[OH-] = 0.0010 (or 1.0 X 10-3 M)
pOH = - log 0.0010
pOH = 3
pH = 14 – 3 = 11

OR Kw = [H3O+] [OH-]
[H3O+] = 1.0 x 10-11 M
pH = - log (1.0 x 10-11) = 11.00
 -1
4 [OH-]
10
x -]
. 0 H

10
1 O -1
4
[

-p
10

OH
-L
og
x +]
. 0

[ OH
1 [H

-
]
[H+] pOH
H
pO
10

-
-p

14
H
-L

H
og

- p
[ H

14
]+

pH
 Strong and Weak Acids/Bases

The
The strength
strength of
of an
an acid
acid (or
(or base)
base) is
is determined
determined by
by
the
the amount
amount of
of IONIZATION.
IONIZATION.

HNO3, HCl, H2SO4 and HClO4 are among the only

known strong acids.
Strong and Weak Acids/Bases

Generally divide acids and bases into STRONG or WEAK

ones.
STRONG ACID: HNO3 (aq) + H2O (l) 
H3O+ (aq) + NO3- (aq)
HNO3 is about 100% dissociated in water.
HONORS
HONORS ONLY!
ONLY!
Strong and Weak
Acids/Bases
• Weak acids are much less than 100% ionized
in water.
One of the best known is acetic acid =
CH3CO2H
Strong Base: 100% dissociated in water.
NaOH (aq)  Na+ (aq) + OH- (aq)

Other common strong bases

include KOH and Ca(OH)2.
CaO (lime) + H2O Ca(OH)2
(slaked lime)

CaO
Weak base: less than 100% ionized in water
One of the best known weak bases is ammonia

NH3 (aq) + H2O (l)  NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq)

Weak Bases
Equilibria Involving
Weak Acids and Bases

Consider acetic acid, HC2H3O2 (HOAc)

HC2H3O2 + H2O H3O+ + C2H3O2 -

(Acid) (Conj. Base)

[H3 O+ ][OAc- ]
Ka   1.8 x 10-5
[HOAc]
(K is designated Ka for ACID)
K gives the ratio of ions (split up) to molecules
(don’t split up)
 Ionization Constants for Acids/Bases

Acids Conjugate
Bases
Increase
strength

Increase
strength
Equilibrium Constants
for Weak Acids

Weak acid has Ka < 1

Leads to small [H3O+] and a pH of 2 - 7
Equilibrium Constants
for Weak Bases

Weak base has Kb < 1

Leads to small [OH-] and a pH of 12 - 7
Relation of
Ka, Kb, [H3O+]
and pH
 Equilibria Involving A Weak Acid

You have 1.00 M HOAc. Calc. the equilibrium concs. of

HOAc, H3O+, OAc-, and the pH.

Step 1. Define equilibrium concs. in ICE table.

[HOAc] [H3O+] [OAc-]
initial 1.00
1.00 00 00

change -x
-x +x
+x +x
+x
equilib
equilib 1.00
1.00 -- xx xx xx
 You have 1.00 M HOAc. Calc. the equilibrium concs. of
HOAc, H3O+, OAc-, and the pH.
Step 2. Write Ka expression

[H O + ][OAc- ] x 2
Ka 1.8 x 10-5 = 3 
[HOAc] 1.00 - x

This is a quadratic. Solve using quadratic formula.

or
or you
you can
can make
make an
an approximation
approximation ifif xx is
is very
very small!
small! (Rule
(Rule of
of
thumb:
thumb: 10
10-5-5 or
or smaller
smaller is
is ok)
ok)
You have 1.00 M HOAc. Calc. the equilibrium concs.
of HOAc, H3O+, OAc-, and the pH.
Step 3. Solve Ka expression

[H O + ][OAc- ] x 2
Ka 1.8 x 10-5 = 3 
[HOAc] 1.00 - x

First assume x is very small because Ka is so

small.
-5 x2
Ka 1.8 x 10 =
1.00
Now we can more easily solve this approximate
expression.
You have 1.00 M HOAc. Calc. the equilibrium concs. of
HOAc, H3O+, OAc-, and the pH.
Step 3. Solve Ka approximate expression

-5 x2
Ka 1.8 x 10 =
1.00

x = [H3O+] = [OAc-] = 4.2 x 10-3 M

pH = - log [H3O+] = -log (4.2 x 10-3) = 2.37

Calculate the pH of a 0.0010 M solution of formic acid,
HCO2H.
HCO2H + H2O  HCO2- + H3O+
Ka = 1.8 x 10-4

Approximate solution
[H3O+] = 4.2 x 10-4 M, pH = 3.37

Exact Solution
[H3O+] = [HCO2-] = 3.4 x 10-4 M
[HCO2H] = 0.0010 - 3.4 x 10-4 = 0.0007 M
pH = 3.47
Types of Acid/Base Reactions
pH Testing
There are several ways to test pH
– Blue litmus paper (red = acid)
– Red litmus paper (blue = basic)
– pH paper (multi-colored)
– pH meter (7 is neutral, <7 acid, >7 base)
– Universal indicator (multi-colored)
– Indicators like phenolphthalein
– Natural indicators like red cabbage,
radishes
 Paper testing
Paper tests like litmus paper and pH paper
– Put a stirring rod into the solution and stir.
– Take the stirring rod out, and place a drop
of the solution from the end of the stirring
rod onto a piece of the paper
– Read and record the color change. Note
what the color indicates.
– You should only use a small portion of the
paper. You can use one piece of paper for
several tests.
pH meter
• Tests the voltage of the electrolyte
• Converts the voltage to pH
• Very cheap, accurate
• Must be calibrated with a buffer
solution
pH indicators
• Indicators are dyes that can be added
that will change color in the presence of
an acid or base.
• Some indicators only work in a specific
range of pH
• Once the drops are added, the sample
is ruined
• Some dyes are natural, like radish skin
or red cabbage
 ACID-BASE
ACID-BASE REACTIONS
REACTIONS
Titrations
Titrations
H2C2O4(aq) + 2 NaOH(aq) Na2C2O4(aq) + 2 H2O(liq.)
acid base

Carry out this reaction using a TITRATION.

Oxalic acid,
H2C2O4
Setup for titrating an acid with a base
Titration
Titration

1. Add solution from the buret.

2. Reagent (base) reacts with
compound (acid) in solution in
the flask.
3. Indicator shows when exact
stoichiometric reaction has
occurred. (Acid = Base)

This is called NEUTRALIZATION.