Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Studies UNIT III

Acids and Bases

1) Write about properties of Acids and Bases?
Ans:
Robert Boyle explained the distinctive properties of acids and bases
Properties of Acids:
1. Acids are sour to taste.
2. They turn blue Litmus to Red.
3. They liberate H2 gas, when react with active metals like Zinc, Magnesium.
Mg 2 HCl MgCl2 H 2
4. Acids liberate CO2 gas, when react with carbonates and bicarbonates.
Na2CO3 2 HCl 2 NaCl H 2O CO2
5. Acids react with bases to form Salts. This reaction is called Neutralization.
HCl NaOH NaCl H 2O
6. Acids are good electricity conductors in aqueous solution.
7. Eg:HCl, H2SO4, H3PO4, CH3COOH.
Properties of Bases:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Bases are bitter to taste.

Bases turn Red to Litmus.
They are soapy to touch
They are good electricity conductors in aqueous solution.
Bases react with acids to form salts. This reaction is called Neutralization.
Eg:NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)2, Mg(OH)2, Al(OH)2, NH4OH.

2) What are the modern concepts of Acids and Bases?

Ans:
Modern concepts of Acids and Bases Theories:
They are three modern theories of Acids and Bases
(1) Arrhenius Theory
(2) Bronsted-Lowery Theory
(3) Lowery Theory
3) Explain the Arrhenius theory with examples?
Ans:
Arrhenius Theory of Acids and Bases:
Arrhenius proposed the electrolytic theory of Acids and Bases in 1887.
According to Arrhenius theory
Acid: A substance which gives hydrogen ions (H+) in aqueous solution is called acid.
HX
H+ + X(aq)
(aq) (aq)
Eg: HCl, H2SO4, CH3COOH, H3PO4
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Lecturer in Chemistry

Acids and Bases

Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Studies UNIT III

Base: A substance which gives hydroxyl ion (OH-) in aqueous solution is called base.
BOH
B+ + OH(aq)
(aq) (aq)
Eg: NaOH, KOH, Mg(OH)2.
Strength of Acids and Bases:
The strength of Acids and Bases based depend upon rate of ionization constant.
Strong Acid: An Acid which ionizes greatly and produce large number of H+ ions.
[ H ][ X ]
Ka
[HX]
Eg: HCl, H2SO4. (highKa Value)
Weak Acid: An acid which ionizes slightly and produce less number of H+ ions.
Eg: CH3COOH, H2CO3 (low Ka Value)
Strong Base: A Base which ionizes greatly and produce large number of OH- ions is called
Strong Base.
Eg: NaOH, KOH (high Kb value)
Weak Base: A Base which ionizes slightly and produce large number of OH- ions is called Weak
Base.

Kb

[B ][OH ]
[BOH]

Eg: NH4OH (low Kb value)

Neutralization:
The reaction of an acid with equal amount of base to form salt and water is called Neutralization.
HCl NaOH NaCl H 2O
Eg:
Limitations:
(1) Arrhenius theory applicable only aqueous solutions only
(2) This theory fails to explain acidic character of CO2, SO2 etc.
(3) This theory fails to explain basic character of NH3, CaO etc.
4) Explain the Bronsted-Lowery Theory of Acids and Bases with examples?
Ans:
Bronsted Lowery Theory of Acids and Bases:
Bronsted and Lowery in 1923 independently and simultaneously proposed a new theory of Acids
and Bases.
Bronsted and Lowery Acid:
A substance which can donate a proton to other substance is called Bronsted - Lowery acid.
(or) A proton donor is an Acid.
Eg: HCl, H2SO4, CH3COOH.
Bronsted Lowery base:
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Lecturer in Chemistry

Acids and Bases

Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Studies UNIT III

A substance which can accept a proton from other substance is called Bronsted Lowery base.
(or) proton acceptor is base.
Eg: NH3, H2O, HSO4
Strength of Bronsted Lowery acids and bases
The strength of an acid or a base determined based on the lose or gain of protons.
Strong acid:
An acid which shows a strong tendency to donate protons is called strong acid.
Eg: HCl, H2SO4, HNO3
Weak acid:
An acid which shows weak tendency to donate proton is called weak acid.
Eg: CH3COOH
Strong base:
A base which shows a strong tendency to accept proton is called strong base.
Eg: CH3COO-, OH-, CNWeak base:
A base which shows a weak tendency to accept proton is called weak acid,
HSO4
Eg: NH3,
Neutralization:
According to Bronsted Lowery theory the protons transfer from Acid to Base is called
Neutralization.
HCl H 2O H 3O Cl

acid

base

acid 2

base 2

Limitations:
(1) This theory could not explain the acidic character of non protic compounds like CO2,
SO2 etc.
(2) This theory could not explain the neutralization reactions in which proton transfer does
not takes place
CaO2 CO2 CaCO3
Conjugate Acid Base Pair:
The Acid Base pair differing by one proton is called Conjugate Acid Base pair,
Acid proton
Conjugate Base
Base + proton
Conjugate Acid
Examples:
Acid
Conjugate Base
Base
Conjugate Acid

NH 3
NH 4
HCl

Cl

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Lecturer in Chemistry

Acids and Bases

Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Studies UNIT III

HNO3

NO3

H 2O

H 3O

H 2 SO4

HSO4

CH 3

CH 4

HSO4

SO4

CN

HCN

H 2O

OH

Cl

HCl

CH 3COOH

CH 3COO

NO3

HNO3

H 2CO3

HCO3

HCN

CN

Amphoteric solvents:
According NH3, H2O acts as Acid and Base. These type of solvents are called amphoteric
solvents.
5) Explain the Lowery Theory of Acids and Bases with examples?
Ans:
Lewis theory of Acids and Bases:
G.N. Lewis explain the Acid, Base behavior based on electron pair.
Lewis Acid:
A substance which accept electron pair and form Coordination Covalent Bond is called Lewis
Acid. (or) An electron pair acceptor is an acid.
Eg: AlCl3, SO3, Na+, Mg+2
Types of Lewis Acids:
Lewis Acids are divided into 4 types.
1)
2)
3)
4)

Simple cations Eg: H+, Na+, Mg+2, Zn+2

Electron efficient molecules Eg: BF3, BCl3, AlCl3
Molecules in which central atom can expand octet Eg: SiF4, SnCl4
Molecules containing double bonds between hetero atoms Eg: CO2, SO2, NO2

Lewis Base:
A substance which donate electron pair and form co-ordination covalent bond is called Lewis
base (or) An electron pair donor is a Base.
Types of Lewis Bases:
Lewis Bases are divided into 3 types
1) All simple anions Eg: Cl-, Br-, OH-, CN2) Molecules with lone pair of electrons. Eg:

H 3, H2O

3) Molecules having multiple bonds between carbon atoms Eg: C2H4 , C2H2.
Neutralization:
The formation of co-ordinate covalent bond between Acid and Base is called Neutralization.
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Lecturer in Chemistry

Acids and Bases

Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Studies UNIT III

Eg:
H3N: +

BF3

H3N: + H+

H3N
+

N H4

BF3

Limitations:
1) This theory failed to explain the strength of Acids and Bases.
2) It could not explain the neutralization of simple Acids and Bases which do not involve
Coordinate covalent bond formation.
HCl + NaOH
NaCl + H2O
6) Write about Ionic Product of water and its significance?
Ionic product of water:
The product of molar concentration of H+ ion and OH- ion at any temperature of pure water is
known as ionic product of water.
Pure water is weak electrolyte.
It ionizes a small extent into H+ and OH-.
These ions are in equilibrium with undissolved H2O molecules.
This equilibrium represented as
H O H+ + OH2

According to the law of mass action, the equilibrium constant for above equilibrium written as
OH

+
H

K c =
OH

+
H
K c H 2 O=
OH

+
H
K w =
Where Kw is called as ionic product of water
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Lecturer in Chemistry

Acids and Bases

Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Studies UNIT III

The units of Kw is

moles2
litre 2

At 25 the Kw value = 1 10

-14

moles2
litre 2

OH

+
H
K w =
OH

[ ]=1 1014
+
H

So in water

[H ] =110

-7

[OH-] = 110-7

moles
litre
moles
litre

Significance of Kw:
If an acid is added to water [H+] increases and [OH-] decreases. Similarly based is added, the
[OH-] increases and [H+] decreases.
But the product of these ions must be constant.
2
moles
i.e., Kw value = 1 10-14 litre 2
if [H+] is known [OH-] is calculated and vice versa
+
OH
H

+
OH
H

[H+] >10-7 Acidic solution

[H+] <10-7 Basic solution
[H+] = 10-7 Neutral solution
7) Define pH scale?
Ans:
If

Prepared by V Naga Surendra Reddy

Lecturer in Chemistry

Acids and Bases

Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Studies UNIT III

pH scale was introduced by S.P. Sorensen

pH is defined as: The negative logarithm of the H+ concentration.
pH = -log [H+] (or)
+
H

pH =
1
log
H+ = 10-pH
Similarly

OH

pOH =
1
log

pOH = -log [OH-] (or)

pH + pOH = 14
pH scale is in the range of 0 to 14.
For
Acidic solutions pH < 7
Basic solutions pH > 7
Neutral solutions pH = 7
Acidity increases from 7 to 0.
Basicity increases from 7 to 14.

8) What are Buffer Solution give examples?

Ans:
Buffer Solutions:
A solution which resists change in its pH value by adding little amount of Strong Acid or Strong
Base or on dilution is called Buffer Solution.
Eg:
(1) CH3COOH
+
CH3COONa
Acetic Acid
Sodium Acetate
(2) NH4OH
+
NH4Cl
Ammonium Hydroxide
Ammonium Chloride
9) How many types of Buffer Solutions? Explain with examples?
Prepared by V Naga Surendra Reddy
Lecturer in Chemistry

Acids and Bases

Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Studies UNIT III

Ans:
Types of Buffer Solutions:
Buffer solutions classified as two types
(1) Acidic Buffer Solution
(2) Basic Buffer Solution
(1).Acidic Buffer solution:
An Acidic Buffer Solution consists a weak Acid and its salt with Strong Base.
Eg:
(1) CH3COOH
+
CH3COONa
Acetic Acid
Sodium Acetate
(2) H2CO3
+
NaHCO3
Carbonic Acid
Sodium Bicarbonate
Henderson equation for
Salt
pH=P Ka +log
pH of Acidic buffer =
Acid

Ka
where P =log ( K a )

(2). Basic Buffer solution:

Basic Buffer solution consists a Weak Base and its salt with Strong Acid.
Eg:
NH4OH + NH4Cl
Henderson equation for pOH of Basic Buffer solution
Salt
pOH=P Kb + log
Base

PKb =log ( K b )

Where

10) Write any two Buffer Applications?

Ans:
Applications:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

Widely used in chemical analysis

These are important role in biochemical reactions
Used in Softening of water.
Used in EDTA titration.

11) What is Buffer Capacity?

Buffer Capacity:
The number of moles of Acid or Base required to one litre buffer solution for changing pH by
one unit
Buffer Capacity=

No . of moles of Acid Base added per one litre

ChangepH

Prepared by V Naga Surendra Reddy

Lecturer in Chemistry

Acids and Bases