ACIDS, BASES, SALTS, AND pH
DOE-HDBK-1015/1-93
Fundamentals of Chemistry
CH-01
Rev. 0
Page 46
ACIDS, BASES, SALTS, AND pH
Different substances respond differently in solution. How substances behave
in water is of special interest to the power industry. The interactions of
water and acids, bases, or salts are of special interest because water is used
in many industries. This chapter will introduce the student to the general
behavior of these substances.
EO 3.1
DEFINE the following terms:
a.
Acid
e.
Base
b.
Salt
f.
pH
c.
pOH
g.
Dissociation constant of water
d.
Alkalies
EO 3.2
STATE the formula for pH.
EO 3.3
STATE the formula for pOH.
EO 3.4
CALCULATE the pH of a specified solution.
Acids
Substances that form ions when they are dissolved in water are called electrolytes. The three
types of electrolytes are acids, bases, and salts.
Acids are substances that dissociate in water to produce hydrogen (H ). An example of a
+
common acid is sulfuric acid, H SO . In solution, H SO dissociates to form hydrogen and
2
4
2
4
sulfate ions according to the following equation. The designation in parenthesis in the
following formulas indicate the state of the reactants and the products, i.e., liquid (aq). solid (s),
or gas (g).
Additional examples of acids are vinegar, aspirin, and lemon juice. These substances share the
following common properties.
1.
Acid solutions taste sour (acid means "sour" in Latin).
2.
Acids react with many metals to form hydrogen gas.
