Acids & Bases
Learn about acids, bases, and pH. This section includes acid-base lecture notes, study guides, and quizzes.
Acid and Base Definitions
Your Guide presents Arrhenius, Bronsted-Lowry, and Lewis definitions of acids and bases. Lists of properties of acids and bases and common examples are provided.
Your Guide presents Arrhenius, Bronsted-Lowry, and Lewis definitions of acids and bases. Lists of properties of acids and bases and common examples are provided.
Formulas of Common Acids & Bases
Here are the names and formulas of some of the common acids and bases. Learn how to apply prefixes and suffixes to name the acids and bases.
Here are the names and formulas of some of the common acids and bases. Learn how to apply prefixes and suffixes to name the acids and bases.
Strength of Acids and Bases
Learn about strong and weak acids and bases. Get definitions and examples of each type.
Learn about strong and weak acids and bases. Get definitions and examples of each type.
What Is the Strongest Acid?
Do you know what the strongest acid is? I'll give you a hint. It's not hydrochloric acid nor is it sulfuric acid.
Do you know what the strongest acid is? I'll give you a hint. It's not hydrochloric acid nor is it sulfuric acid.
Acid-Base Indicators
Learn what an acid-base indicator is and how it works. A table is provided with names of indicators, pH indicator ranges, indicator concentrations in water or alcohol, and colors.
Learn what an acid-base indicator is and how it works. A table is provided with names of indicators, pH indicator ranges, indicator concentrations in water or alcohol, and colors.
Amino Acid Chirality
This is an introduction to stereoisomerism of amino acids, with Fisher projections and stereorepresentations of serine used as an example. There are links to learn more about amino acids and about chirality of other molecules.
This is an introduction to stereoisomerism of amino acids, with Fisher projections and stereorepresentations of serine used as an example. There are links to learn more about amino acids and about chirality of other molecules.
Amino Acid Structures
These are the structures for the twenty natural amino acids, plus the general structure for an amino acid.
These are the structures for the twenty natural amino acids, plus the general structure for an amino acid.
Amino Acids
Your Guide presents the names, three0letter abbreviations, one-letter abbreviations, and molecular structures for the twenty protein-derived amino acids. The amino acids are grouped according to whether they have side chains that are nonpolar, polar and uncharged, or polar and charged. Links are provided for other amino acid classification systems and characteristics.
Your Guide presents the names, three0letter abbreviations, one-letter abbreviations, and molecular structures for the twenty protein-derived amino acids. The amino acids are grouped according to whether they have side chains that are nonpolar, polar and uncharged, or polar and charged. Links are provided for other amino acid classification systems and characteristics.
Baggie Chemistry - Experiment with Chemical Reactions
Introduce students to chemical reactions and experimentation using common materials and baggies.
Introduce students to chemical reactions and experimentation using common materials and baggies.
Basics of Acids and Bases Quiz
How well do you understand the basic concepts of acids, bases, and pH? Here's a ten question multiple choice and true/false quiz you can take to test yourself.
How well do you understand the basic concepts of acids, bases, and pH? Here's a ten question multiple choice and true/false quiz you can take to test yourself.
Buffers
Buffers are an important concept in acid-base chemistry. Here's a look at what buffers are and how they function.
Buffers are an important concept in acid-base chemistry. Here's a look at what buffers are and how they function.
Cabbage pH Paper Video
Have you ever wanted to make your own pH paper test strips? This is an easy project that you can complete in a few minutes. Here's a video that guides you through the steps of making pH paper test strips yourself.
Have you ever wanted to make your own pH paper test strips? This is an easy project that you can complete in a few minutes. Here's a video that guides you through the steps of making pH paper test strips yourself.
Calculating pH
Here is an example of an acid/base problem to calculate the pH of an aqueous solution where the concentration of H[sup]+[/sup] is known.
Here is an example of an acid/base problem to calculate the pH of an aqueous solution where the concentration of H[sup]+[/sup] is known.
Calculating pH of a Strong Acid
Here is an example of an acid/base problem to calculate the pH of a strong acid.
Here is an example of an acid/base problem to calculate the pH of a strong acid.
Calculating pH of a Strong Base
Here is an example of an acid/base problem to calculate the pH of a strong base.
Here is an example of an acid/base problem to calculate the pH of a strong base.
Calculating pH of a Weak Acid
Here is an example of an acid/base problem to calculate the pH of a weak acid solution of known concentration.
Here is an example of an acid/base problem to calculate the pH of a weak acid solution of known concentration.
Do You Add Sulfuric Acid to Water or Water to Sulfuric Acid?
It's important to add sulfuric acid to water and not water to concentrated sulfuric acid. Here's an explanation of why you don't want to make a mistake and some mnemonics that might help you remember how to play it safe in the chemistry lab.
It's important to add sulfuric acid to water and not water to concentrated sulfuric acid. Here's an explanation of why you don't want to make a mistake and some mnemonics that might help you remember how to play it safe in the chemistry lab.
Effect of Acids and Bases on the Browning of Apples
Perform an experiment to observe the effects of acids, bases, and water on the rate of browning of cut apples or other produce.
Perform an experiment to observe the effects of acids, bases, and water on the rate of browning of cut apples or other produce.
Fried Green Egg
Red cabbage juice contains a natural pH indicator that changes color from purple to green under basic (alkaline) conditions. You can use this reaction to make a fried green egg.
Red cabbage juice contains a natural pH indicator that changes color from purple to green under basic (alkaline) conditions. You can use this reaction to make a fried green egg.
Henderson Hasselbalch Equation and Example
You can calculate the pH of a buffer solution or the concentration of the acid and base using the Henderson Hasselbalch equation. Here's a look at the Henderson Hasselbalch equation and a worked example that explains how to apply the equation.
You can calculate the pH of a buffer solution or the concentration of the acid and base using the Henderson Hasselbalch equation. Here's a look at the Henderson Hasselbalch equation and a worked example that explains how to apply the equation.
Home and Garden pH Indicators
Here's a list of common household substances and garden plants that can be used as pH indicators. Many of the active molecules, expected color changes, and pH ranges are listed.
Here's a list of common household substances and garden plants that can be used as pH indicators. Many of the active molecules, expected color changes, and pH ranges are listed.
Negative pH
Is it possible to have a negative pH value? If you are given the molarity of hydrogen ions of an acid that is greater than one, you'll calculate a negative pH value for the acid. Can that really happen? Here's the answer.
Is it possible to have a negative pH value? If you are given the molarity of hydrogen ions of an acid that is greater than one, you'll calculate a negative pH value for the acid. Can that really happen? Here's the answer.
Neutralizing an Acid with a Base
This example demonstrates the method used to calculate the amount of an acid of known concentration needed to neutralize a base of known concentration.
This example demonstrates the method used to calculate the amount of an acid of known concentration needed to neutralize a base of known concentration.
pH Basics
This is a quick overview of what pH is and how you can perform typical pH calculations.
This is a quick overview of what pH is and how you can perform typical pH calculations.
pH of Common Chemicals
Here's a table of the pH of several common chemicals. You can use the list to set up color ranges for pH indicators or simply to learn more about acids and bases.
Here's a table of the pH of several common chemicals. You can use the list to set up color ranges for pH indicators or simply to learn more about acids and bases.
pH Scale
This is a color diagram of the pH scale. The pH of common chemicals is indicated.
This is a color diagram of the pH scale. The pH of common chemicals is indicated.
Phosphate Buffer
A phosphate buffer is a handy buffer solution to have around, especially for biological applications. Because phosphoric acid has multiple dissociation constants, you can prepare phosphate buffers for any of the three pHs.
A phosphate buffer is a handy buffer solution to have around, especially for biological applications. Because phosphoric acid has multiple dissociation constants, you can prepare phosphate buffers for any of the three pHs.
Red Cabbage pH Indicator
Make your own pH indicator solution! Red cabbage juice contains a natural pH indicator that changes colors according to the acidity of the solution. Red cabbage juice indicator is easy to make, exhibits a wide range of colors, and can be used to make your own pH paper strips.
Make your own pH indicator solution! Red cabbage juice contains a natural pH indicator that changes colors according to the acidity of the solution. Red cabbage juice indicator is easy to make, exhibits a wide range of colors, and can be used to make your own pH paper strips.
Salt Formation Chemistry
Learn about the chemistry behind salt formation, including neutralization and hydrolysis reactions.
Learn about the chemistry behind salt formation, including neutralization and hydrolysis reactions.
Strong Acids
These are the strong acids. There are only sixstrong acids, so you might want to commit the list of strong acids to memory.
These are the strong acids. There are only sixstrong acids, so you might want to commit the list of strong acids to memory.
Strong Bases
Strong bases are bases which completely dissociate in water. Here is a list of the most common strong bases.
Strong bases are bases which completely dissociate in water. Here is a list of the most common strong bases.
Titration Basics - Acids Bases and Buffers
Grasp the basic chemical concepts of titration, a technique used to determine the molarity of an acid or a base.
Grasp the basic chemical concepts of titration, a technique used to determine the molarity of an acid or a base.
Titration Curves
Titration is a technique used in analytical chemistry to determine the concentration of an unknown acid or base. For all acids, the shape of the graph plotting pH against volume of base titrated fits the same general shapes.
Titration is a technique used in analytical chemistry to determine the concentration of an unknown acid or base. For all acids, the shape of the graph plotting pH against volume of base titrated fits the same general shapes.
Vitamin C Determination by Iodine Titration
Use this redox-based iodometric titration to determine the amount of Vitamin C or ascorbic acid in juice and other samples.
Use this redox-based iodometric titration to determine the amount of Vitamin C or ascorbic acid in juice and other samples.