Acidity of the Base

The molecule having available electron pairs is called a base. The Base is a substance that can change the red litmus paper into blue. It tastes bitter and reacts with acids to form a salt. Bases have the capability of releasing hydroxide ions in the water. The acidity of a base is defined as the number of monobasic acids required to neutralise one molecule of a base. Bases are used to manufacture soaps, detergents, drain cleaners, etc. Bases are used in alkaline batteries also.The texture of most of the bases are soapy. Thus, bases are used for making soaps.

The acidity of Base:

Solutions are often classified as acidic or basic based on their hydrogen ion concentration relative to pure water, which is the acidity of base. The solutions having higher hydrogen concentrations are acidic. The solutions having lower hydrogen concentrations are basic. Basic solutions are also called alkaline solutions. Strong acids and bases, such as hydrochloric acid and potassium hydroxide, have a high propensity to dissociate in water and become ionised in solution. The oxides, carbonates of metal, and hydroxides are the bases. Acidity is defined as the number of replaceable OH- ions the Base contains for bases. OH- ions combine with hydrogen ions to produce water. Further acidity is classified into three types and concentration and ionisation into two types. OH- ions are liberated when the base compounds are dissolved in water. Acids and bases are substances that can be used to create solutions that are water-free and water-containing. Strong acids produce a lot of hydrogen ions in solution, while strong bases produce a lot of hydroxide ions in solution and a few hydrogen ions.

Classification of Base in terms of acidity:

Based on acidity, bases are categorised into three types, namely monoacidic bases, acidic bases, and triadic bases. 

• When one hydroxide ion is produced by the complete ionisation of a base molecule, it is known as a monoacidic base or monoprotic Base. 
• When two hydroxide ions are produced by the complete ionisation of a base molecule, the Base is acidic or diprotic. 
• When three hydroxide ions are produced by the complete ionisation of a base molecule, the Base is known as a triadic or triprotic base.

Classification of Base in terms of concentration:

Based on concentration in aqueous solution, bases are categorised into two types, namely, 

• Concentrated Base- They have a higher concentration of base in the solution.
• Diluted Base – They have a lower concentration of base in the solution.

Classification of Base in terms of ionisation:

Based on ionisation, bases are categorised into two types, namely, 

• Strong Base- A strong base completely dissolves in water.
• Weak Base- A weak base does not dissolve completely in water. 

Lewis Concept of Acid and Bases:

According to the Lewis Concept of Acid and Base, an acid is an electron pair acceptor, and a base is an electron-pair donor. Hence, a Lewis acid can accept a pair of electrons from a Lewis base to form a coordinate covalent bond. The product formed by this reaction is called a Lewis adduct. Ethyl alcohol and boron trifluoride (BF3) are examples of Lewis acids and bases. It also includes ammonia and the oxides of alkali and alkaline earth metals. Acids and bases are substances that can be used to create water-free and water-containing solutions.

The pH Scale: 

The pH of a solution is calculated as the negative log of a solution’s hydrogen ion concentration. It measures the amount of hydrogen ions in the solution. It is used for classifying solutions into acid and base. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. Mostly Litmus paper is used to check the pH of a solution. The pH scale is a negative logarithmic scale.

• The solutions having pH less than 7.0 are acidic. 
• The solutions having pH 7.0 are neutral.
•  The solutions with a pH of more than 7.0 are of basic or alkaline nature.

The pH of a Base:

 The solutions having a pH of more than 7.0 are of basic or alkaline nature. The acidity of a base is equal to the number of hydroxyl ions present in it. As bases have low hydrogen ions levels, they have high pH values. The number of H+and OH- ions created determines the strength of acids and bases. Strong acids produce a large amount of H+ ions or vice versa. The degree of ionisation of acids and bases varies depending on the acid or base. It aids in determining the acidity and basicity of acids and bases. The concentration of hydronium ion (H3O+) in acid also affects its strength.

Conclusion:

The acidity of a base is defined as the number of monobasic acids required to neutralise one molecule of a base. So, an acid is an electron pair acceptor, and a base is an electron-pair donor. Also, the bases have low hydrogen ions levels and have high pH values. The range of pH is 0-14. The pH 7.0 indicates a neutral solution. In this article, we have discussed all types of classification of base in detail. It was all about the acidity of Base, Lewis’s concept of acid and bases, and the pH of Base.