1. Acids and Bases
Both are types of compounds that are involved in everyday life
Often they are referred to as “dangerous”
In some situations they are, but in most cases acids and bases are very helpful
Acids containing products: vinegar, aspirin, citrus fruits, pop, fertilizer, batteries

2. Base containing products: deodorants, antacids, household cleaners, plaster, laxatives
Sour-tasting
Water soluble
Very reactive
Good conductors of electricity
All contain hydrogen atoms in a combined form

3. H2SO4……HC2H3O2
Note formula always begins with H_ _
BASES
Bitter tasting
Water soluble
Slippery
Can conduct electricity
Referred to as Alkaline

4. Break down proteins
Formula often ends in OH
Ex. NAOH - sodium hydroxide = drain cleaner
Al(OH)3
When in a concentrated form both acids and bases are very hazardous

5. The pH scale is used to represent how basic or acidic a solution is
7 is neutral on the pH scale
0 to 7 represents an acidic solution

7. The pH scale is logarithmic meaning a 1 number change on the scale represents an actually change of 10 times
Ex. Apples have a pH of 3.0 and black coffee has a pH of 5.0
Apples are therefore 100 times more acidic than black coffee

8. 1 = 10
2 = 100
3 = 1000 and so on
How many times more basic is something with a pH of 13 compared to something with a pH of 9
13 – 9 = 4……10000 times more basic

9. Litmus paper is used to determine if a substance is an acid or base
Blue litmus paper turns red in an acid
Red litmus paper turns blue in a base
pH paper is then used to determine the exact pH of a substance