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Acids, Bases and the Use of Indicators

Acid and Bases are important subjects that students must know. In this article, you will get to know more about acids, bases, and the use of indicators.

Introduction

Acid and base are the two-term terms that you would learn from the beginning of mid-school education. Well, we all know by now that acids and bases are two different levels of potency of a liquid. With the help of indicators, we can know whether the fluid is acidic or basic. Beverages are of three natures, acidic, neutral, and basic. In Chemistry, Many substances that can directly dissolve into the water. It can either be in the form of acidic or basic. But, how will you know whether the water has turned acidic or basic? To know about the same, you can go through the article.

    What are Acids?

    Acids are sour and get dissolved in water easily. There are several types of acids, but all have a pH value less than 7. If you dip a blue litmus paper in any acid, it will turn red. It is the nature of all acids to change such colours when it comes in contact with some elements. Acids react with metals like iron and release hydrogen, which reacts with bases to form salts. The only common factor is that both acids and bases are liquid. Acids are highly reactive, and they can burn almost any thin object, starting from clothes, paper, skin, hair, plastic, and whatnot. That is why it is always better to use the acids carefully.

      Common acids you should know about

      When we talk about acids, you must know that acids can vary depending upon the elements. The lower the value of pH higher is the acidity. So there are strong acids, weak acids as well. Some of the most popular acids are formic acids, sulphuric acids, lactic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, carbonic acid, ascorbic acid.

        What are Bases?

        Bases are liquid that has a slippery texture, and it is water-soluble. Anyway, you should not taste bases with your tongue, but it doesn’t taste enjoyable for your information. Bases are also known as alkali. They react with acids and also perform as a catalyst in many chemical reactions. Bases also turn red litmus paper blue, that is the already acidified litmus paperback, to neutral. On the pH scale, they have a value of more than 7.

          Common Bases you should know about:

          Like acids, there are different types of bases available. The nature of bases is termed alkaline. The Higher the value of pH makes the base more substantial. Many grounds surround us, but we don’t identify them. So here are some of the commonly found bases you should know about: detergent, soap, sodium hydroxide, household ammonia.

            Properties of acids

            • Acids are commonly corrosive
            • They are sour
            • It turns blue litmus paper red when dipped
            • They are suitable electrolytes
            • To form a salt, they react with bases
            • They have a pH value lower than 7
            • They react with several metals
            • They can burn thin objects

            Properties of bases

            • It feels soapy or slippery when touched by an aqueous base solution
            • Bases taste bitter and a bit pale
            • They can turn red litmus back to blue
            • Bases start reacting with acids to form salts and separate water

            Examples of Acid-Base Indicators

            The best-known indicators are the pH indicators. You must be aware that the indicators are Thymol Blue, Methyl Orange, and Phenol Red are the most common indicators. It helps to indicate if the solution has turned into an acidic solution or a basic solution. You can also use red cabbage to find out if the solution is an acidic solution or a basic solution. These indicators are often used to find out whether the solutions are also alkaline or not. You can also make the best use of litmus paper, cabbage juice, phenolphthalein, and others. Similarly, you can also make use of methyl orange to find out whether the solution is acidic or not. It can only identify the acidic nature of the solution.

              Conclusion

              In Conclusion, Acids are a substance that is sour in taste and turns blue litmus into red similarly Bases are those substances that are bitter and turns red litmus into blue on another way it is also clear that that substance has a pH is less than 7 are acids and that pH is greater than 7 are called as Base. This literature also tells us about Indicators, Indicators are those which differentiate Acidic and Basic substances in terms of colour change by titrations.

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              Frequently Asked Questions

              Get answers to the most common queries related to the JEE Examination Preparation.

              Is all liquid can be categorised into acid and bases?

              Ans. Most drinks can be classified as acidic, basic, or neutral only if water-soluble. The aqueous solution is mainl...Read full

              Is oil acidic or basic?

              Ans. Since oil is not an aqueous liquid, it does not come into acidic, basic, and neutral liquids. Oil does not diss...Read full

              Why should sour food like curd and pickle not be kept in metal containers?

              Ans. Since sour foods like curd and pickle contain acids, they quickly react with metal and release hydrogen. This p...Read full

              Why does an aqueous solution of acids conduct electricity?

              Ans. The aqueous solution of acids contains charged ions, which help conduct electricity.

              Why does dry hydrochloric acid turn blue litmus paper red?

              Ans. Since it does not emit hydrogen because of the absence of water, it does not behave like acid with the litmus p...Read full

              Why should water not be poured into acid and do the opposite?

              Ans. When you pour water into acid, the amount of acid is higher, and that causes the production of excessive heat. ...Read full