Chapter 2: Acids, Bases and Salt

Solution: Release of H⁺ ion in water will make a compound acidic or non-acidic. Acids are substances which, upon dissociating with water, resulting in the production of Hydrogen ions. Some compounds show an acidic character as they dissociate in the aqueous solution, which results in the production of hydrogen ions (acids like HCl, HNO₃).

Compounds similar to glucose or alcohol do contain a hydrogen element, but they do not show signs of acidic nature. The fact is that the hydrogen in them will not separate from like the hydrogen in the acids. They will not separate to become hydrogen ions, on dissolving in the water.

Solution: Charged particles are responsible for the conductance of electricity in an acid. These charged particles, called ions, are the reason behind the conductance of electricity in acid.

Solution: HCl does not give out Hydrogen ions; therefore, HCl does not show any acidic behaviour, and the colour of the litmus paper remains the same on reacting with HCl gas.

Solution: While diluting an acid, it is recommended that the acid should be added to water and not water to the acid because if water is added to a concentrated acid, it releases a huge amount of heat which may result in an explosion and can cause acid burns on the face, clothes and body parts. Hence, it is safe to add acid to water but not water to acid.

Solution: When acid is added to water, there will be a fixed amount of hydronium present in the fixed volume of the solution. If we dilute the solution, hydronium ions per volume of the solution decrease, and this, in turn, decreases Hydronium concentration in the solution.

Solution: When a base is dissolved in sodium hydroxide solution, its hydroxide ions increase, but it will reach saturation at some point. After saturation point, hydroxide ion concentration is not affected even after adding base further.