- A cylinder holding a blue liquid.Beaker With Blue Liquid image by explicitly from Fotolia.com
In chemistry, an acid is a chemical compound that gives or donates positive hydrogen ions when mixed with a solution. The solutions that accept these positive hydrogen ions from acids are called bases. Acids and bases can be thought of as being opposites of each other, similar to addition and subtraction. In popular culture, acids are commonly misconceived as liquids that melt through anything it touches. This is far from the truth. Below are some common acids and bases. - Sulfuric acid, molecular formula H2SO4, is a strong mineral acid that is soluble in water at all concentrations. Sulfuric acid has many applications, including lead-acid batteries for vehicles, ore processing, oil refining, waste water processing, and chemical synthesis.
- Hydrochloric acid is created when hydrogen chloride is mixed in water. It is a highly corrosive and is a strong mineral acid. Its used in making plastics and household cleaning.
- Potassium hydroxide, molecular formula KOH, is an inorganic compound and is classified as a strong base. Typically, KOH is found in the laboratory as pellets.
- Sodium hydroxide, molecular formula NaOH, is also classified as a strong base. It goes by other names such as lye and caustic soda. Its industrial uses include the manufacturing of paper, textiles and soap.
previous post
next post