Acid-base reactions occur between acids and bases, with acidity measured on the pH scale. Acids turn blue litmus paper red, while bases change red litmus paper to blue. When reacted together, acids and bases give a salt, a neutral product. There are many types of acid-base reactions, studied at all levels of chemistry and important in many careers, including pharmaceuticals. The human body also has many acid-base reactions that must be kept in balance.
Acid-base reactions are chemical reactions that occur between acids and bases. An acid is a substance which, when dissolved in water, has higher hydrogen ion activity than pure water, while a base is a substance which, when dissolved in water, can accept hydrogen ions. The acidity of a solution is measured on the pH scale; a substance with a pH lower than seven is acidic while a solution with a pH higher than seven is basic. There are many different explanations and forms of acid-base reactions, as they can occur in many different ways and have been studied by a number of different chemists.
There are several properties that define acids and bases other than whether they can give or receive hydrogen ions. The acids turn blue litmus paper red, have a sour taste, and react with some metals to release oxygen. Bases, on the other hand, change red litmus paper to blue, taste bitter, and often have a slippery feel. Both acids and bases conduct electricity.
Typically, when an acid and a base are reacted together, they give a salt. Salts are the neutral products of acid-base reactions. For example, when hydrochloric acid is reacted with sodium hydroxide, a strong base, the reaction product is NaCl, or sodium chloride, which is common table salt and is neither acidic nor basic, with a pH of about seven. When salts are dissolved in water, they are known as electrolytes and they conduct electricity. There are several classifications of salts, as some release hydroxide ions when dissolved, some release hydronium ions, and some release neither.
There are many different types of acid-base reactions because there are many different types of acids and bases that can react in different amounts. A strong acid reacting with a weak base will have a different result than a weak acid reacting with a weak base, because strong acids release more hydronium ions into a solution than weak acids, and strong bases release more hydroxide ions into a solution compared to weak bases.
Acid-base reactions are studied at all levels of chemistry, starting in high school, as they are an integral part of many careers involving chemistry. The human body has many different acid-base reactions going on which are kept in a delicate balance to moderate various bodily functions. Furthermore, pharmaceutical companies must ensure that the drugs they produce do not upset such delicate balances.
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