This document provides information about acids, bases, and salts through a series of questions and answers. It begins by defining acids as substances that donate hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Bases are then defined as substances that accept hydrogen ions in water. Examples of acids and bases are provided. The document explains that salts are formed through a neutralization reaction between acids and bases, producing salt and water. Common salts like sodium chloride and baking soda are listed as examples. The definitions of pH and how the pH scale determines if a substance is acidic or basic are then covered. The summary concludes by stating very strong acids have a pH of 0-3 while very strong bases have a pH of 11-14.

1. Acids, Bases, & Salts
Assignment
Please take your time to read through each slide.
You will see the question from your assignment
at the top, the correct answer below, and any
notes or helpful diagrams to help you
understand.

2. 1. Define an acid.
What does this mean?
• If you add an acidic solution to water (called dissolving), the solution will keep the
Hydrogen’s electron and give away (or donate) the proton to the water.
• The Hydrogen atom that has lost its electron and only has a proton left is called a
Hydrogen ion (H+).
• We call acids “hydrogen donors”.
From the Techbook Ch. 7.3, Explore 1:

3. Also from the Techbook Ch. 7.3, Explore 1:
This is another acceptable answer for defining an acid.

4. 2. Define a base.
What does this mean?
• If you add a base (or alkaline) solution to water (called dissolving),
the solution will take in (or accept) Hydrogen ions.
• Remember that Hydrogen ions are basically just a proton because
they lose their electrons to acids.
From the Techbook Ch. 7.3, Explore 1:

5. This is another acceptable answer for defining a base.
What does this mean?
• If you add a base
solution to water, it will
react to produce OH-
• The only reason you
would care about this
is because that’s how
you can tell the pH of a
solution… comparing
levels of H+ and OH-

6. Acid Solution Base (Alkaline) Solution

7. 3. Decide whether the words below describe an acid,
base, or both. Add them to the chart where they belong.
Acids Both Bases
• Sour taste
• Conducts Electricity
• Blue litmus paper
turns red
• H3O+ ions
• Corrosive
• Reactive with metals
• Fruits and Juices
• pH less than 7
• Corrosive
• Conducts electricity
• Cleaning products
(this really goes with
bases, but I accepted
it since vinegar is a
cleaner that is acidic)
• Feels slippery
• Bitter taste
• Conducts electricity
• Corrosive
• Cleaning products
• pH greater than 7
• OH- ions
• Not reactive with
metals
• Red litmus paper
turns blue
If you had at least 5 correct words for
acid & base, then you earned full
credit. If you had less than 5 correct
words, or more than 1 incorrect word,
then you lost a point.

8. 4. How is a salt formed?
Neutralization reaction:
Acid + Base  Salt + Water
acids & bases react to form salt and water
This is from the article given below the questions.
Many of you described how Sodium
Chloride (table salt) is formed, but this
question was specific to the article and
how it applies to salts, in general.

9. 5. What are examples of salts?
Examples of salts:
- Sodium chloride (table salt)
- Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
- sodium carbonate (used to make glass)
- potassium chloride (salt substitute)
- magnesium chloride (de-icer for roads)
- calcium carbonate (chalk, marble floors)

10. 6. What does “pH” stand for?
From the Techbook Ch. 7.3, Explore 2:
Another acceptable answer is “potential hydrogen”

11. 7. What determines a solution’s position on
the pH scale?
From the Techbook Ch. 7.3, Explore 2:
What does this mean?
• More H+ in the solution  lower pH  more acidic
• Less H+ in the solution  higher pH  more basic (alkaline)

12. Acids have…
• More H+
• Less OH-
Bases have…
• Less H+
• More OH-

14. 8. What does neutral mean?
From the Techbook Ch. 7.3, Explore 2:
Many of you said that neutral
means that something has no
charge (positive or negative),
but that’s related to electrical
charges. When we talk about
pH, neutral means it’s in the
middle with a pH close to 7,
which also means it’s neither an
acid or base.

15. 9. What pH do very strong bases have?
10. What pH do very strong acids have?
From the Techbook Ch. 7.3, Explore 2:
Strong Acids have a
pH of 0-3
Strong bases have a
pH of 11-14