Acids & Bases Information

There are many substances that chemically qualify as acids or bases. Some are more exotic compounds typically found in a chemistry laboratory while others are common household substances. Strong acids or bases are dangerous and must be handled with extreme caution.

Acid

In chemistry, the term acid can refer to several different properties of a substance, including a sour taste and the production of hydrogen ions when dissolved in water.

Base

A base is chemically the flip side of an acid and is a substance that produces the so-called hydroxyl ion (OH) when dissolved in water.

pH

The degree of acidity of a substance is measured on the pH scale which runs from 0 to 14. Zero is a strong acid, 14 is a strong base and 7 is neutral.

Buffer

A buffer is a solution containing chemical compounds that moderate acidity, tending to keep the pH steady even as more acids or bases are added.

Examples

There are some familiar examples of acids such as vinegar, which is acetic acid, and bases such as lye, which is sodium hydroxide.

References

• Acids and Bases