Answer: Acids have a pH of less than 7 and generally form [tex]H^+[/tex] when dissolved in solution. [tex]H_2SO_4[/tex] is an example of acid.
Bases have a pH of more than 7 and generally form [tex]OH^-[/tex] when dissolved in solution. [tex]Ca(OH)_2[/tex] is an example of base.
Water is neutral and has a pH of exactly 7. Therefore in chemical equations it can act as acid or a base.
Explanation:
pH or pOH is the measure of acidity or alkalinity of a solution. pH is calculated by taking negative logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration.
[tex]pH=-\log [H^+][/tex]
pH values range from 1 to 14. Acids have a pH range from 1 to 6.9, water is neutral with pH of 7 and bases have pH ranging from 7.1 to 14.
Acids form hydrogen ions when dissolved in water and bases form hydroxide ions when dissolved in water. Water [tex]H_2O)[/tex] is amphoteric and thus can behave as an acid or a base.
[tex]H_2SO_4\rightarrow 2H^++SO_4^{2-}[/tex]
[tex]Ca(OH)_2\rightarrow Ca^{2+}+2OH^[/tex]
