Acids and Bases

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Solution Noun

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[suh-loo-shun]

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Solution

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A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances that has the same uniform composition and properties throughout.

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Example: Solute particles (pink) are shown evenly mixed among solvent particles (blue) in a beaker, illustrating the microscopic makeup of a chemical solution.

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Ion Noun

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[ahy-on]

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Ion

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An atom or molecule that has an overall electrical charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.

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Example: An ionic solid (a lattice of cations and anions) dissolves in water, breaking apart into individual, free-moving ions surrounded by water molecules.

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Hydronium ion Noun

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[hahy-droh-nee-uhm ahy-on]

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Hydronium ion

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A positively charged ion (H3O+) formed when a water molecule accepts a hydrogen ion from another molecule.

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Example: A water molecule (H₂O) combines with a proton (H⁺) to form a positively charged hydronium ion (H₃O⁺), which is key to understanding acids.

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Hydroxide ion Noun

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[hahy-drok-sahyd ahy-on]

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Hydroxide ion

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A negatively charged ion (OH-) formed when a water molecule loses a hydrogen ion, a key component of bases.

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Example: This image shows the structure of a hydroxide ion, which is made of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom bonded together with an overall negative charge.

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Acidity Noun

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[uh-sid-i-tee]

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Acidity

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The measure of the concentration of hydronium ions in a solution, which is often expressed using the pH scale.

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Example: This image shows the pH scale, where acidity is represented by values from 0 to 6, helping to measure how acidic a substance is.

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pH Noun

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[pee-eych]

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pH

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A logarithmic scale, typically ranging from 0 to 14, used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

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Example: The pH scale measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is, from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline), with 7 being neutral like water.

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Acid Noun

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[as-id]

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Acid

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A substance that produces hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution, has a pH lower than 7, and is a proton donor.

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Example: The image shows the pH scale, indicating how acidic different substances are, helping students understand the concept of acids.

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Base Noun

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[beys]

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Base

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A substance that produces hydroxide ions (OH-) in a solution, has a pH higher than 7, and often feels slippery.

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Example: This image shows a base, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), splitting into sodium (Na+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions when dissolved in water, a key property of bases.

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Neutral solution Noun

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[noo-truhl suh-loo-shun]

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Neutral solution

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A solution that has a pH of exactly 7, meaning it is neither acidic nor basic in its chemical properties.

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Example: The image shows how neutral solutions do not change the color of litmus paper, indicating they are neither acidic nor basic.

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Neutralization Noun

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[noo-truh-luh-zey-shun]

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Neutralization

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A chemical reaction in which an acid and a base react to form a salt and water, resulting in a neutral solution.

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Example: The image shows how an acid and a base react to form water and salt, demonstrating the neutralization process.