All Questions
Tagged with acid-base everyday-chemistry
18 questions
103
votes
7
answers
338k
views
Is it actually possible to dispose of a body with hydrofluoric acid?
In the TV show "Breaking Bad", Walter White frequently gets rid of people who get in his way by submerging them in a plastic container full of hydrofluoric acid. This, at least in the TV show, ...
user1579
18
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Why is it considered acid rain with pH <5.6?
I recently read in a book that rain is considered acid rain if the pH falls below 5.6. However a substance is acidic when the pH is below 7; so why is the boundary for acid rain 5.6?
I was thinking ...
- 748
7
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Understanding sodium hydroxide drain cleaner's exothermic dissolution of aluminum; does the aluminum need to be oxidized before it dissolves?
I'm not a chemist but I remember that the standard HF/nitric silicon etch used in micro-fabrication supposedly worked in two steps; the HF would dissolve the thin SiO2 oxide layer on the silicon ...
- 5,997
28
votes
2
answers
5k
views
How to properly store acids at home?
I bought different kinds of acid for experiments and home usage that I stored in secured containers into an IKEA cabinet.
I just realized that despite the fact that all the containers are properly ...
- 613
22
votes
4
answers
88k
views
Why is salt needed when using vinegar to clean pennies?
Let's say you have a solution that is vinegar and it has salt (NaCl) dissolved in it. Then you place old dull pennies in it. Then you look at it 5 minutes later and the pennies are clean and looking ...
- 229
12
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Explanation of Lemon Juice-Invisible Ink
A cute homegrown spy-trick we all know: lemon juice invisible ink. But there is no scholary article available in the internet about this phenomenon.
A rough explanation I found in Scientific American:...
- 2,331
4
votes
2
answers
17k
views
Why is lemon mixed with water considered alkalizing water?
The benefits and facts of alkaline water are often skewed due to the marketing of companies and uneducated hype for the innocent idea of unlimited potential. I wanted to know the specific reactions ...
- 77
3
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Comparing basic strength order of amines
In the above question I was asked to compare the basic strength order.
So I did it like this:
The Nitrogen in I and II will not participate in resonance so the only effect it could produce is ...
- 113
24
votes
1
answer
47k
views
How does adding lemon juice to sugar make better caramel?
It's a common cooking advice: if you want a somewhat softer caramel, add some lemon juice to the sugar:
To help prevent the caramel from crystallizing, you can add an acid to the sugar before you ...
- 23.9k
21
votes
2
answers
8k
views
Chemical compounds responsible for the colors in flowers?
I know that anthocyanins are a class of compounds responsible for the purple colors found in flower petals.
Anthocyanins (also anthocyans; from Greek: ἀνθός (anthos) = flower + κυανός (kyanos) = ...
- 6,156
18
votes
2
answers
21k
views
Why doesn't HCl form when you dissolve NaCl in water?
People say it dissolves, but shouldn't the acid form?
$$
\ce{NaCl + H2O ->[?] HCl + ???}
$$
- 3,050
14
votes
3
answers
86k
views
What makes Coke acidic?
What makes Coke and other soft drinks acidic? These drinks are carbonated, so a freshly-opened can should have a lot of dissolved carbonic acid, but the ingredients also lists phosphoric acid. Would ...
- 1,079
13
votes
2
answers
9k
views
Why are synthetic pH indicators used over natural indicators?
Synthetic indicators seem to be exclusively used when determining the pH of a substance with an indicator (with the exception of that school experiment where you boil cabbage to demonstrate natural pH ...
- 143
10
votes
2
answers
20k
views
Can sodium bicarbonate be considered an acid?
I was reading about acids and bases today and finally decided to question the statement that "baking soda is a base."
Let's start with the dissolving of baking soda, $\ce{NaHCO3}$. The equation to ...
- 623
6
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Is the behavior of a dilute strong acid the same as the behavior of a weak acid?
My assumption is yes, as the $\mathrm{pH}$ levels of each will be similar and thus they have the same acidity. Is this correct or am I missing something?
- 77
5
votes
1
answer
11k
views
Does citric acid react with carbonated water?
I've noticed that when adding lemon juice to carbonated water, large 'soapy' bubbles appear on the surface. Since I'm adding another acid to a solution of carbonic acid, I would maybe expect a faster ...
- 159
2
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Soap versus Shampoo
Soap and shampoo are both cleaning agents in our daily life.
Why is soap in solid form and shampoo is in a liquid form, though? Is it because of the chemical components inside them or another factor?...
- 4,703
-2
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Why don't effervescent vitamin C tablets react with the vitamin C?
I have a packet of effervescent Vitamin C tablets. When placed in a glass of water, a tablet will fizz and dissolve. They have the following ingredients (all included for completeness):
citric acid
...
- 99