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Neutralisation

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Lesson notes

What is Neutralisation?

  • **Neutralisation** is a chemical reaction between an acid and a base.
  • An acid has a **pH less than 7**; neutralisation raises the pH to 7.
  • Signs of reaction include **temperature rise** and sometimes **effervescence**.

Bases and Alkalis

  • A **base** is a substance that neutralises an acid.
  • Metal oxides and metal hydroxides are bases.
  • A **soluble base** is called an **alkali**.

Acid + Metal Oxide / Metal Hydroxide

  • General equation: **acid + metal oxide → salt + water**
  • General equation: **acid + metal hydroxide → salt + water**
  • Hydrochloric acid forms **chloride** salts (e.g., iron chloride).
  • Sulfuric acid forms **sulfate** salts (e.g., zinc sulfate).
  • Nitric acid forms **nitrate** salts (e.g., calcium nitrate).

Acid + Metal Carbonate

  • General equation: **acid + metal carbonate → salt + carbon dioxide + water**
  • Example: hydrochloric acid + calcium carbonate → calcium chloride + carbon dioxide + water
  • Example: nitric acid + sodium carbonate → sodium nitrate + carbon dioxide + water

Choosing an Indicator

  • Universal indicator shows a **gradual colour change**, making it hard to pinpoint pH 7.
  • Better indicators with **sudden colour change**: **litmus**, **phenolphthalein**, or **methyl orange**.

Particle arrangement in solid, liquid, and gas. Neutralisation often involves mixing solutions (liquids) and may produce gas (effervescence).

Particle arrangementSolidLiquidGas

Slides

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Practice questions

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  1. 1.What is the pH of a neutral solution?

    Easy
    • A7
    • B0
    • C14
    • D1
  2. 2.Which of the following is the correct general word equation for the reaction between an acid and a metal oxide?

    Easy
    • Aacid + metal oxide → salt + water
    • Bacid + metal oxide → salt + hydrogen
    • Cacid + metal oxide → salt + carbon dioxide + water
    • Dacid + metal oxide → salt + oxygen
  3. 3.What is a base?

    Easy
    • AA substance that neutralises an acid
    • BA substance that turns blue litmus red
    • CA substance with a pH less than 7
    • DA substance that produces hydrogen ions in water
  4. 4.What is the pH of an acid?

    Easy
    • ALess than 7
    • BGreater than 7
    • CEqual to 7
    • DExactly 14
  5. 5.Which of the following is the correct word equation for the reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide?

    Medium
    • Ahydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium chloride + water
    • Bhydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium chloride + hydrogen
    • Chydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium sulfate + water
    • Dhydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium nitrate + water
  6. 6.What are the products of the reaction between sulfuric acid and calcium carbonate?

    Medium
    • Acalcium sulfate, carbon dioxide and water
    • Bcalcium chloride, carbon dioxide and water
    • Ccalcium sulfate and water only
    • Dcalcium nitrate, carbon dioxide and water
  7. 7.Which indicator is most suitable for detecting the endpoint of a neutralisation reaction?

    Medium
    • AMethyl orange
    • BUniversal indicator
    • CRed cabbage juice
    • DPhenolphthalein
  8. 8.When nitric acid reacts with magnesium hydroxide, what are the products?

    Hard
    • Amagnesium nitrate and water
    • Bmagnesium nitrate and hydrogen
    • Cmagnesium sulfate and water
    • Dmagnesium chloride and water

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