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What is an acid and a base KIDS definition?
Acids and bases are two special kinds of chemicals. Whether a liquid is an acid or base depends on the type of ions in it. If it has a lot of hydrogen ions, then it is an acid. If it has a lot of hydroxide ions, then it is a base.
Which of these defines an acid?
An acid is any substance that in water solution tastes sour, changes blue litmus paper to red, reacts with some metals to liberate hydrogen, reacts with bases to form salts, and promotes chemical reactions (acid catalysis).
How do you tell the difference between an acid and a base?
Definition. A substance, mostly liquid that donates a proton or accepts an electron pair in reactions. An acid increases the concentration of H+ ions. A base is a substance that releases hydroxide (OH-) ions in aqueous solution, donates electrons and accepts protons.
What is an acid kid definition?
An acid is a substance that can donate one or more of its hydrogen ions to another substance. Strong acids let go of many or all of their ions. Weak acids hold onto some of their ions. The opposite of an acid is a base. Acids taste sour and can burn things like skin and even metal.
What is the definition of base for kids?
A base is a substance that can accept a hydrogen ion (H+) from another substance. An acid is a base’s “chemical opposite”. An acid is a substance that will donate a hydrogen atom to the base. Bases have a pH greater than 7.0. Weak bases generally have a pH value of 7–9 while strong bases have a pH value of 9–14.
What is a base defined as?
A base is a substance that reacts with an acid in an acid-base reaction. The mechanism through which a base works has been argued throughout history. Generally, a base either accepts a proton, releases a hydroxide anion when dissolved in water, or donates an electron. Examples of bases include hydroxides and soap.
What characterizes a strong acid or base?
Strong acids are defined by their pKa. The acid must be stronger in aqueous solution than a hydronium ion, so its pKa must be lower than that of a hydronium ion. Therefore, strong acids have a pKa of <-174. Strong acids can be organic or inorganic.
Why is it important to know the difference between acids and bases?
Additionally, it’s important to know the difference between acids and bases because mixing the two together can cause a reaction. While mixing vinegar and baking soda can create a great cleaning agent, mixing strong acids and bases can create toxic fumes or even explosions.
What is the simple definition of base?
A base is a substance that can neutralize the acid by reacting with hydrogen ions. Most bases are minerals that react with acids to form water and salts. Bases include the oxides, hydroxides and carbonates of metals. The soluble bases are called alkalis. Sodium hydroxide is an alkali.
What is pH acid and base?
pH is a measure of how acidic/basic water is. The range goes from 0 – 14, with 7 being neutral. pHs of less than 7 indicate acidity, whereas a pH of greater than 7 indicates a base. pHs less than 7 are acidic while pHs greater than 7 are alkaline (basic).