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lements can be divided into three groups: metals, non-metals and metalloids.
Compounds can also be divided into groups. But there are thousands
of compounds and a very large number of groups. Two well-known groups of
compounds are acids and bases. Some acids and bases can eat through metal, burn
your skin or poison you. Others can make food tasty, keep you clean or keep your
bathroom tiles clean.

Acids
Some acids occur naturally (like citric acid in lemons) and
some have to be manufactured (like the sulfuric acid in car
batteries). But they share the following properties. Acids:
are corrosive (they react with solids and eat them
away). For example, battery acid will burn your skin
and hydrochloric acid cleans mortar from bricks.
usually have a sour taste. For example, lemon juice
tastes sour because it contains citric acid; vinegar
tastes sour because it contains acetic acid.
dissolve in water. Acids that are mixed with
water are said to be diluted. Acids that
have not been diluted with water
are called concentrated and are
extremely dangerous.

Bathroom cleaner (bases: calcium

carbonate, sodium carbonate)
Floor cleaner (various bases)
Oven cleaner (base: sodium
hydroxide)
Cloudy ammonia (base: ammonia)
Toilet cleaner (hydrochloric acid)

Bases
When a base is added to an acid, a chemical
reaction occurs. The properties of the acid are
neutralised by a base. So, in a sense, bases
are opposites of acids. But they do have
some properties in common. Bases:
feel slippery as a result of a chemical
reaction between the base and natural
oils in the skin
may be corrosive which is why some bases are
used in oven and bathroom cleaners
usually have a bitter taste
do not usually dissolve in water (bases that can be
dissolved in water are called alkalis).

The pH scale
Acidity is a measure of how strong an acid is. The
more acidic an acid is, the more corrosive it is.
Similarly, basic refers to how strong a base is. If a
substance is not acidic and not basic it is said to be
neutral. Pure water is neutral.
So, how acidic or basic is a particular substance?
To answer this, a tool called the pH scale is used.
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14.

Hair shampoo
(usually various
acids)
Hair conditioner
(various bases)

96
Science Alive for VELS Level 6

Vinegar
(acetic acid)

Go to
worksheet 00

(sulfuric acid)

45
Weak
acids

7
Neutral

910
Weak
bases

1314
Very strong
bases

(acetic acid)

(pure water)

(cloudy
ammonia)

(sodium
hydroxide)

An indicator is a chemical that changes colour depending on the pH of the substances

with which it comes in contact. This coloured strip shows the colour that the universal
indicator turns in substances of varying pH.

Soda water
(carbonic acid)
Yoghurt and milk
(lactic acid)
Cream of tartar
(tartaric acid)
Bee stings
(formic acid)
Lime (base:
calcium
hydroxide)

REMEMBER
1 List the properties of:
(a) acids
(b) bases.
2 List five household products
that are acids.
3 List five household products
that are bases.
4 What is an alkali?
5 How is dilute hydrochloric
acid different from
concentrated hydrochloric
acid?
6 What are the differences
between the properties of
acids and bases?
7 What is the pH of distilled
water?
THINK
8 When you vomit, you feel a
burning sensation in your
mouth and throat. Why do
you think this happens?
SKILLBUILDER
9 The pH of five substances
were measured and recorded
in the table below.
Substance

pH

12

Which of the substances is:

(a) a strong base?
(b) a very weak base?
(c) neutral?
(d) a very weak acid?
(e) a strong acid?

Rhubarb (oxalic acid)

Lemons (citric acid)
Ant stings (formic
acid)
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
Soap (base: sodium hydroxide)

Toothpaste (base:
calcium carbonate)

97
5. Chemical reactions

DESIGN AND CREATE

10 Create a poster showing
the pH of some common
household substances and
their classification as an acid,
base or neutral substance.

learning

01
Very strong
acids

I CAN:
describe and compare the
properties of acids and bases
list some common acids and
bases
discuss how the pH scale relates
to the acidity of substances.