How do people use acids and bases?

Answer 1

very easy. Acids and bases are used to kill bugs and destroy bacteria or germs like washing dishes. WARNING: DO NOT i repeat DO NOT EVER COMBINE A ACID WITH A ACID OR A ACID WITH A BASE NEVER COMBINE BASES AND ACIDS EVER!!!! side effects:creates poisinous gas that may kill orm knock you out. and again they are used for killing germs bacteria exc. like washing dishes or killing bugs. they kill bacteria because they are very powerful.

Answer 2

You hear about acids all the time. Acid reflux disease causes some people to have to take acid reducing medication. The fact of the matter is that you hear the word "acid" all the time. Most of us, however, don't have any idea what an acid is.

The Bronsted-Lowry definition of acids are that acids are compounds that give off H+ ions when you stick them in water. This definition also says that bases are compounds that can accept H+ ions when you stick them in water.

The Arrhenius definition of acids says that they're compounds that give off H+ ions in water and that bases are compounds that give off OH- ions in water.

These definitions are the same. Basically, if you've got something that can give off H+ in water, it's an acid. As a result, all acids you'll be seeing in class have hydrogen atoms on them that are ready to go jumping off in water. Most common acids have the letter H in the beginning of the formula, with the exception of acetic acid (it's at the end, for reasons we won't go into here). Bases, on the other hand, are compounds that give off OH- in water. (The two definitions of a base are for our purposes identical, as OH- combine with H+ to form water -- the Arrhenius and Bronsted-Lowry definitions are for most purposes identical). When you see the formula of a base, it's got "OH" in it. The one exception to this is ammonia, NH3. (NH3 combines with water to form NH4OH, which is really the thing that's basic in ammonia. So our definition is sort of true).

You can also define acids and bases as being "strong" or "weak". Strong compounds are compounds that completely break up in water. In other words, if we're talking about a strong acid, all of the H+ ions break away from the molecule in water. For strong bases, all of the OH- ions break away from the molecule in water.

There is a difference between a "strong" acid and a "reactive" one. Strong acids are all reactive, but some "weak" acids can also be extremely reactive. A good example of a weak, reactive acid is hydrofluoric acid, HF. I had a friend of mine who had a tube full of HF explode in his face - even though it's a weak acid, he still spent a long time recovering and suffered permanent scarring. Ask your teacher sometime which acid they'd rather put their hand into, HCl (a strong acid) or HF (a weak acid). If your teacher knows anything at all about acid chemistry, they'll reply HCl.

Here are a couple of charts which show the most common acids and bases. Some are strong and some are weak, as indicated.

Acids

Formula

Name

Strong?

HCl

hydrochloric acid

yes

HBr

hydrobromic acid

yes

HI

hydroiodic acid

yes

HF

hydrofluoric acid

no

HNO3

nitric acid

yes

H2SO4

sulfuric acid

yes

H3PO4

phosphoric acid

no

CH3COOH

acetic acid

no

Bases

Formula

Name

Strong?

NaOH

sodium hydroxide

yes

LiOH

lithium hydroxide

yes

KOH

potassium hydroxide

yes

Mg(OH)2

magnesium hydroxide

no

Ca(OH)2

calcium hydroxide

no

NH3 (NH4OH)

ammonia

(ammonium hydroxide)

no

Properties of acids and bases

Properties of acids include the following:

• React with most metals to form hydrogen gas
• Taste sour (like lemons)
• Frequently feel "sticky"
• Usually gases or liquids

Properties of bases include:

• Feel "slippery". (FYI: The slippery feeling is caused because your skin dissolves a little when you touch them.)
• Taste bitter (like baking soda)
• React with oils and greases (that's why they're used as drain and window cleaners)
• Frequently solids (though ammonia is a gas that's usually dissolved in water)

Answer 3

Bases are used for cleaning products such as bleach. Acids are used for antiseptics and vinegar and juices.

Answer 4

strong acids and bases can be used for cleaning.

Answer 5

Many acids are in the food we eat, like vinegar, and many bases are used to clean things, like soap, or drain cleaner.

Answer 6

make up for face