Unit 10: Acids, Base and Salts

2. Give short answer.

1. Write the equation for the self-ionization of water.

The reaction in which two water molecules produce ions is called as the self-ionization
or auto ionization of water. Simple ionization of water can be written as:

H2O
H+ + OH–

A water molecule that loses a proton becomes a negatively charged hydroxide ion
(OH- ). The other water molecule which gains the proton becomes positively charged
hydronium ion (H3O+). This can be written as:

2H2O
H3O+ + OH–
1. Define and give examples of Arrhenius acids.

Arrhenius Acids:

An acid is a substance that ionizes in water to produce H+ions. For example:

HCl
H+ + Cl–

H2O

HNO3
H+ + NO3-1

Since HCl and HNO3 produce H+ions, therefore HCl and HNO3 are acids.

1. Why HCl acts as a strong acid?

HCl acts as a strong acid because it ionizes completely in aqueous solution. All the
molecules of HCl dissociate in water, producing H⁺ and Cl⁻ ions. They ionize 100% in
aqueous solution. This complete ionization is characteristic of strong acids

H2O

HCl
H+ + Cl–
1. Why NH, acts as Bronsted-Lowry base?

According to Bronsted-Lowry theory an acid is a proton donor and a base is a proton

acceptor.

Water: Donates a proton and is converted to OH⁻. Therefore, water is a Bronsted acid.
Ammonia: Accepts a proton and is converted to NH₄⁺. Therefore, ammonia is a
Bronsted base.
1. Why ammonia acts as a weak base.

A base that ionizes to a little extent is called a weak base. Such bases produce fewer
OH ions in aqueous solution.

Ammonia acts as a weak base because it does not ionize completely in aqueous
solution. It accepts a proton from water to form ammonium ions (NH₄⁺) and hydroxide
ions (OH⁻), but this ionization is not complete.

NH3 + H2O NH4+ + OH−

3. Ammonium hydroxide and nitric acid react and produce ammonium nitrate and
water. Write balanced chemical equation for this neutralization reaction.

The balanced chemical equation between ammonium hydroxide and nitric acid to form
ammonium nitrate and water is.

NH4OH + HNO3 NH4NO3 + H2O

4. Write balanced chemical equations for the following neutralization

reactions. i. Sulphuric acid + Magnesium hydroxide Magnesium sulphate +

water H2SO4 + Mg(OH)2 MgSO4 + 2H2O

ii. Sulphuric acid + Sodium hydroxide Sodium sulphate + water

H2SO4 + 2NaOH Na2SO4 + 2H2O

 iii. Hydrochloric acid + Calcium Hydroxide Calcium Chloride +

water 2HCl + Ca(OH)2 CaCl2 + 2H2O

5. Identify Bronsted-Lowry acids or bases in the following

reactions. i. HNO3 + H2O H3O+ + NO–3

HNO₃: Donates a proton and is converted to NO₃⁻. Therefore, HNO₃ is a Bronsted

acid. H₂O: Accepts a proton and is converted to H₃O⁺. Therefore, H₂O is a Bronsted

base. ii. NH3 + HNO3 NH4NO3

HNO₃: Donates a proton and is converted to NO₃⁻. Therefore, HNO₃ is a Bronsted

acid. NH₃: Accepts the proton and forms NH₄⁺. Therefore, NH₃ is a Bronsted base.

6. Give the Bronsted-Lowry definition of an acid. Write an equation that illustrates

the definition.

In 1923 J.N Bronsted and T.M Lowery independently proposed another theory to
overcome the shortcomings of Arrhenius theory. According to Bronsted-Lowry theory an
acid is a proton donor. For example:

In the above reaction HCl donates proton. So HCl is an acid.

7. Identify Bronsted acids and Bronsted bases in the following reactions. Classify
water as proton donor or proton acceptor.

i. CH3COOH + H2O CH3COO– + H3O+

∙ CH₃COOH donates a proton and becomes CH₃COO⁻, therefore CH₃COOH is an acid. ∙

H₂O accepts a proton and becomes H₃O⁺, therefore H₂O is a base.

ii. HCO3– + H2O CO3-2 + H3O+(H+ and proton is same)

∙ HCO₃⁻ donates a proton, so it is the Bronsted-Lowry acid.

∙ H₂O accepts a proton, so it is the Bronsted-Lowry base.
 iii. NH3 + H2O NH4+ + OH–

∙ H₂O donates a proton and becomes OH⁻, so H₂O is an acid.

∙ NH₃ accepts the proton and becomes NH₄⁺, so it is a base.

iv. HCl + HCO3– H2CO3 + Cl–

∙ HCl donates a proton, so it is the Bronsted-Lowry acid.

∙ HCO₃⁻ accepts a proton, so it is the Bronsted-Lowry base.

v. HS– + H2O S-2 + H3O+

∙ HS⁻ donates a proton, so it is the Bronsted-Lowry acid.

∙ H₂O accepts a proton, so it is the Bronsted-Lowry base.
9. Write equations showing the ionization of the following as Arrhenius

acids. a. HI(aq)

HI H+ + I–

b. HNO2 (aq)

HNO2 H+ + NO2-1

According to Arrhenius theory an acid is a substance that ionizes in water to produce

H+. So HI and HNO2 are acids.

THINK TANK

10. Compare the relative concentrations of hydrogen fons and hydroxide ions in
each kind of solution?

a. acidic

In an acidic solution, the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) is greater than the
concentration of hydroxide ions (OH–).

[OH–] < [H+]

b. basic

In a basic solution, the concentration of hydroxide ions (OH–)is greater than the
concentration of hydrogen ions (H+).

[OH–] > [H+]

 c. neutral

In a neutral solution, the concentrations of hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions
(OH– )are equal.

[OH–] = [H+]

11. Codeine, C18H21NO3 is commonly prescribed as pain killer. It dissolves in water

by following reaction.

C18H21NO3 + H2O [C18H21HNO3]+ + OH–

Differentiate Codeine and water as Bronsted-Lowry acid and base.

∙ C18H21NO3 accepts
a proton and becomes [C18H21HNO3]+, therefore C18H21NO3 is a base. ∙
H2O donates a proton and becomes OH–, therefore H2O is an acid.

12. Examine some ways in which you might determine whether a particular water
solution contains an acid or a base.

Some methods to determine whether a particular water solution contains an acid or a

base:

Acid:

∙ Acids have sour taste.

∙ Acids change the colour of blue litmus paper to red.
∙ Acids react with most metals and corrode them.

Base:

∙ Bases have bitter taste.

∙ Bases change the colour of red litmus paper to blue.
∙ Aqueous solution of bases has slippery touch.