Chapter 14 · Acids and Bases
14.2Acids: Properties and Examples
8 min · two checks
Predict
What ion do Arrhenius acids produce in water?
The idea
- List chemical properties of acids.
- Name common laboratory acids.
Acids produce H₃O⁺ in water, turn blue litmus red, react with many metals to produce H₂ (a redox reaction, not something every acid does with every metal), react with carbonates to produce CO₂, and neutralize bases. Common strong laboratory acids include HCl, HBr, HI, HNO₃, H₂SO₄, and HClO₄. Acetic acid, CH₃COOH, is the weak acid in vinegar. Citric acid is weak and triprotic in structure.
The formula often begins with H, but not every hydrogen-containing compound is an acid. CH₄ is not. And some acids, like acetic acid, hide the acidic hydrogen at the end of a structure you will meet again in organic chemistry. Learn the common names and formulas together: hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric, acetic, phosphoric.
Keep these
- Acids raise [H₃O⁺].
- They neutralize bases, fizz with carbonates, and can produce H₂ with active metals.
- HCl, HNO₃, and H₂SO₄ are the usual strong lab acids. Acetic acid is weak.