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Acids and Bases
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Must Do·27/28 papers · 6 years
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By the end of this lesson, you'll solve:

"Why does lemon juice taste sour and soap feel slippery? Both are because of chemistry!"

What Are Acids?

You encounter acids every day! Lemon juice, vinegar, your stomach acid - they all share something in common. Acids are substances that produce hydrogen ions (H⁺) when dissolved in water.

Key Points

  • 1
    Acids taste SOUR (like lemon, vinegar, tamarind)
  • 2
    Acids turn blue litmus paper RED
  • 3
    Acids produce H⁺ (hydrogen ions) in water
  • 4
    Common acids: HCl (hydrochloric), H₂SO₄ (sulphuric), HNO₃ (nitric), CH₃COOH (acetic/vinegar)
  • 5
    Strong acids (HCl, H₂SO₄) ionize completely; weak acids (CH₃COOH) ionize partially

Pro Tip

Never taste chemicals to test if they are acidic! Scientists use indicators like litmus paper instead. The sour taste of lemon? That is citric acid!

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