In class today, students learned about a specific family of chemical reactions called “Acids & Bases.” Acids are one half of the story; they are sour-tasting compounds with a PH under 7. Bases are the opposite of acids; they tend to be bitter-tasting and slippery, and they have a PH above 7. The PH scale is simply the scale that was invented to measure how strong acids and bases are. The closer you get to either end of the scale, the stronger the compounds are.

When an acid and a base are combined, the result is a chemical reaction. For example, today in class we combined Tums (CaCO₃) with stomach acid (HCl), just like a person with heartburn might do. The result was a bubbling chemical reaction that produced a gas (CO₂) but which also neutralized the stomach acid, making the acid less acidic. With enough Tums, you could turn a powerful corrosive like stomach acid into something as harmless as salt water!

November 16 – Acids and Bases Notes (pg311)

Your HW tonight is to take the Unit 3 Checkpoint Quiz; please click here for access.