Characteristics of Acids and Bases

They are called as bases Y acids to chemicals found in nature, which man has learned to use throughout centuries, coming to use it in his daily life, both for various processes and for the preparation of food.

Bases.- It is considered as a chemical base substances that can both provide electrons as well as capture electrons, these Substances have a Ph greater than 7, and when mixed with some acids, they produce salts, which have a series of flavors characteristic.

Acids.- Acids are substances that have a high concentration of hydrogen ions, this classification It is based on the fact that the normal pH in water is 7 and any compound with a pH lower than this measurement is considered acid.

Characteristics of acids and bases:

1.- Classification.- The difference between an acid and a base is through a classification, which is obtained by the number of ions it contains, which makes it determine through their pH level, the various chemicals that exist are measured to determine whether they belong to acids or substances alkaline, using the pH scale, (this scale determines the acidity or alkalinity of a chemical substance, measuring the concentration of hydronium ions in the substance being measured, having as the starting point of the scale water, whose acidity or alkalinity corresponds to 7, on this scale, which is determined as neutral). Based on this measure of water (7 = neutral), substances that have a number are taken as bases or alkalis. greater than 7 within this scale and as acid substances to substances that have a number less than 7 on this scale same scale.

2.- Neutralization.- One of the characteristics of acids and bases is that they are neutralized when chemically combined, thus acids can be neutralized through the use of bases.

Characteristics of the bases:

1.- The bases.- These substances have a pH greater than 7, which means that those that are in a margin greater than 7 and that reach 14 are considered bases.

The alkali and alkaline earth metals are made up of elements such as magnesium, calcium, potassium or sodium, and are highly soluble in water, forming substances with a soapy consistency.

2.- They absorb protons.- The basic or alkaline substances join or absorb the protons that are free in a solution, unlike acids that have the opposite effect, which is to release protons.

3.- Metals and alkaline substances.- Consistency and Caustic Properties, when dissolved in water they tend to take on a soapy consistency, which makes it easy to slide through the skin, it is one of the reasons why basic substances have been used since ancient times for cleaning products along with some other properties, such as dissolving substances organic substances such as dirt that is removed by washing clothes or bathing or unclogging pipes using caustic soda, causticity levels depend on the A specific substance, for example the capsin contained in plants such as chili, is an irritating caustic substance, which causes a stinging sensation when eaten, but It is generally not dangerous, however many other bases are dangerous because they produce chemical burns when they come into contact with the skin or in cases of salts in the dust when inhaled.

4.- Alkaline flavor.- A great variety of substances called bases, have an alkaline taste similar to that of soap or tend to be bitter.

5Change litmus paper coloring.- Alkaline substances or bases, when they come into contact with the iridescent paper, change the color from this to greenish blue tones, the blue coloration increasing as they have a higher pH.

6.- They appear in three of the states of matter.- They are in solid state, in liquid solutions and in the form of gases such as chlorine gas.

7.- Some examples of bases:

Calcium oxide, potassium hydroxide, common salt, caustic soda, capsin, acid

• Aluminum hydroxide
• Barium hydroxide
• Calcium hydroxide
• Copper hydroxide
• Iron hydroxide
• Magnesium hydroxide
• Potassium hydroxide
• Sodium hydroxide
• Titanium hydroxide
• Zinc hydroxide.

Characteristics of acids:

7.- Proton release.- Acids react by releasing protons into a solution in which the acid is dissolved. In mineral acids, hydrogen tends to combine with metals and metalloids, while hydracids are formed with the union of hydrogen with non-metallic minerals and with sulfur.

8.- Acidity or acid taste.- When tested, they have a spicy or sour taste (the so-called "Acid taste"), examples of which are acid citrus fruit of lemons, oranges, grapefruit, chili peppers, mandarins and guavas, as well as ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).

9.- They are corrosive.- Acids electrochemically attack different substances in such a way that they corrode them, for example sulfuric acid that acts by corroding various substances including a wide variety of organic and inorganic substances, as is the case with most metals.

10.- They appear in three of the states of matter.- They are mainly in liquid and gaseous state although they can be found in solid state as is the case of benzoic acid.

11.- Oily consistency.- Both organic and inorganic acids tend to have a characteristic oily consistency.

12.- They change the color of the litmus paper.- Acids react with litmus paper by changing its color to a reddish, orange or magenta hue, depending on the pH of the acid being measured.

Some examples of acids:

• Acetylsalicylic
• Acetic acid
• Hydrobromic Acid HBr
• Carbonic Acid H2CO3
• Chloric acid HCLO3
• Chlorous Acid HClO2
• Hydrofluoric Acid HF
• Fluoric acid HFO3
• Fluorous acid HFO2
• Hypochlorous Acid HClO
• Hypofluoro Acid HFO
• Nitric Acid HNO3
• Nitrous Acid HNO2
• Perchloric Acid HClO4
• Perfluoric Acid HFO4
• Hydrogen Sulfide H2S
• Sulfuric Acid H2SO4
• Sulfurous Acid H2SO3
• Formic acid
• Sulfuric acid