All Questions
Tagged with acid-base everyday-chemistry
101 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
55
votes
2
answers
22k
views
Why don't we explode after drinking water?
It is known that acid should be added to water and not the opposite because it results in an exothermic reaction.
Our stomach contains HCl, so why don't we explode when we drink water?
- 747
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
24
votes
2
answers
30k
views
Why are the majority of cleaning solutions basic?
When testing for pH for common household cleaning products, such as dishwasher fluid, I noticed that majority of them tend to be basic? Why is that? Do acid make good cleaning solutions as well?
- 341
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
22
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Could milk rust a steel teaspoon?
Recently, while cleaning a neighbour's fridge (turned off for a few weeks), I came across a cup (closed with a lid). Inside the cup was, to my olfactory horror, congealed milk, with a steel (iron) ...
user15489
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
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
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
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
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
11
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Why measure both alkalinity and pH in pools if pH alone tells us how acidic or basic something is?
I am trying to better understand the chemistry of maintaining my pool so that I can use the least amount of chemicals to control algae growth and I'm confused by the need to measure both total ...
- 221
11
votes
3
answers
32k
views
Why does the pH of soft drinks get lower as they go flat?
I am doing an investigation about the chemistry of soft drinks and as part of this I observed the effect of time on the pH of soft drinks fully expecting the pH to increase as the carbonic acid, a ...
- 111
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
9
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Why does my sand dissolve in citric acid?
I soaked and washed white Darice decorative sand in distilled water. I added food-grade citric acid to different distilled water, then I sprinkled in a few grains of the sand. The sand bubbled and ...
- 99
9
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How can I make an acidic pen to burn paper on writing on it?
If I have a pen with refillable ink, can I just pour in concentrated Hydrochloric acid or concentrated sulfuric acid in the ink chamber to make it an acidic pen?
Would it be better to use the acid of ...
- 862
8
votes
3
answers
378
views
Clogged drain, commercial products are ineffective
I have a clogged drain from my shower. Commercial products like Savo or WC Net totally don't work. Is there any chemical substance which can be bought without permission or which can be made easily to ...
- 183
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Is powdered acid dangerous? [closed]
I was told that an acid is only dangerous because it releases $\ce{H+}$ ions when in contact with water.
Therefore, powdered acid should be completely safe on skin provided that your skin is not ...
- 91
8
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Why does gaseous HCl not change dry blue litmus paper to red?
I am doing a practical in lab, in which HCl is to be evolved. I found that when blue litmus is near the evolved gas, it doesn't turn red. But, when litmus is dipped in water and then brought near the ...
8
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Identifying a glass frosting chemical
I have purchased an "unknown" white coloured powder from the market which can frost glass objects. Here are some properties of this powder
White in colour
When mixed with HCL or water, it results in ...
- 191
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
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
6
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Adding lemon to lentils changes color from black to pink, why?
I noticed that when I cook black lentils and add lemon juice to the water that's left, the water turns from black to pink!
What can be the reason for that?
- 213
6
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Are acids effective in removing soap scum?
In my experience, most of the commercial products intended for removing soap scum from bathroom surfaces are ineffective. No matter how long you leave it on or how hard you scrub, the soap scum doesn'...
- 922
6
votes
4
answers
11k
views
How is seawater alkaline?
If when water and carbon dioxide react they form carbonic acid, carbonate, and bicarbonate, how does seawater still have a pH of around 8? Doesn't a compound need an hydroxide ion to be a base?
- 165
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What alcohol concentration makes bathroom cleaner "disinfecting"?
There are many do-it-yourself cleaner solutions out there, using a combination of vinegar, alcohol (in a "cheap vodka" concentration), dish soap, baking soda and essential oils. I like these recipes ...
- 163
6
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Alternative PCB etching solutions - Is KMnO4 or NaClO suitable oxidizer?
I need to etch small PCB for my project, since I do this once in a blue moon I would like to try some easy approach, preferably with household items. I'm aiming at the use of acetic acid with hydrogen ...
- 163
5
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Lemon Battery works on water?
My son and I were using a mini science experiment kit for creating batteries with copper, zinc, and lemonade, similar to the famous lemon battery project. My son's hypothesis was that the liquid had ...
5
votes
1
answer
510
views
Can acid mine drainage form acid rain?
Can acid mine drainage form acid rain?
Since normal acid rain is formed via combustion of fossil fuels, the sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide are all in the gas phase, whereas in acid mines the ...
- 637
5
votes
1
answer
908
views
Explanation for behavior of acetic acid in aquaponic/hydroponic systems?
Because aquaponics is hydroponics with fish & bacteria, options for adjusting pH are limited.
Primarily people use phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, and nitric acid (heavily diluted). A less ...
- 153
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
5
votes
1
answer
12k
views
Reaction between sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), isopropyl alcohol, and acetic acid (vinegar)?
I observed this reaction by playing around with vinegar and baking soda and I do not completely understand it.
Everyone knows that baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid) go crazy ...
- 51
5
votes
1
answer
83
views
Help with idea for an optical pH sensor
I am experimenting at home with the idea of making an optical pH sensor that can read the colour of pH indicator using photodiodes.
I am wondering if there is some kind of ion permeable membrane that ...
- 151
5
votes
0
answers
685
views
Is there an adhesive that is not dissolved by acetone?
I am trying to glue glass sheets together to make a sealed 13" x 13" x 13" box. Inside this box there would be acetone gas used to melt 3D printed parts to make them more durable. Acetone will remove ...
- 51
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
4
votes
1
answer
265
views
Polyprotic acids and bases
I just have a question on how you handle polyprotic bases.
Question:
Show how oxalate ion can be a polyprotic base
My answer:
My question is whether we stop doing the reaction until the oxalate ion ...
- 350
4
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Maximum possible hypochlorite concentration from electrolysis?
For reference, "electrochlorination" is just the electrolysis of a simple solution of water and table salt (NaCl) followed by reintroducing the chlorine gas produced.
But, the Wikipedia article on "...
- 1,566
4
votes
1
answer
300
views
What results from the neutralization of copper citrate with Na2CO3
I found this question that describes PCB etching with citric acid. The answer to that question explains how hydrogen peroxide, salt, and citric acid can be used to ionize copper metal in water, which ...
- 165
4
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Temperature change and gas evolution for vinegar and baking soda experiment
This is sort of 2 questions in 1, but I think they are related.
Could someone please explain why this endothermic reaction doesn't further decrease the temperature when the amount of baking soda is ...
- 43
4
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Using baking soda paste (alkaline) to "neutralize" honeybee venom (acidic). Is this scientifically sound?
I recall reading (courtesy: my 9th grade Chemistry text-book, chapter Acids, Bases and Salts), something along the lines of:
Bee venom is acidic. This is why the area of skin (stung by a bee) is ...
- 18.8k
4
votes
0
answers
80
views
Why do vessels get a better shine when tea-leaves are soaked overnight in it before washing?
The other day I dumped consumed tea leaves into a brass utensil because I needed the tea-pan urgently. The vessel with the tea leaves didn't get around for cleaning until the next day. Ergo, the tea ...
- 904
3
votes
2
answers
24k
views
Why do vinegar and other acids remove rust?
I have started a project on restoring a very rusty knife. I had used vinegar to remove the rust. A question dawned on me: why does vinegar remove rust? So being the thoughtful person I am, I googled ...
- 75
3
votes
2
answers
36k
views
What ratio of bicarb to vinegar do I need in order for the result to be pH neutral?
This question stems from one I just asked over at Seasoned Advice, where my recipe tasted decidedly off because the pH was wrong.
The recipe called for $\pu{16 g}$ bicarb of soda (sodium bicarbonate, $...
user13121
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
3
votes
2
answers
7k
views
How to Prepare a Buffer Solution?
Problem
I am given the task of preparing three buffer solutions at pH $10$, $9.5$, and $9.0$ . I have available concentrated ammonia and $\pu{3M}$ hydrochloric acid. The buffer capacity desired is $\...
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How does % purity on household products work?
For example, toilet bowl cleaner is 9.5% HCl. Does this mean that for every 90.5 moles of H2O (or other stuff) there is 9.5 moles of HCl? Does it mean that for every 90.5 g of H2O there are 9.5 g of ...
- 39
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Antacid tablet is acid?
Doing a grade 9 experiment comparing the alkalinity of antacid tablets.
Using bromothymol blue indicator.
Dissolved tablets in both tap water and distilled water and in all situations antacid came out ...
- 31
3
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Chemical Formulas of Acids and Bases [duplicate]
How can we identify bases and acids by their chemical formulas?
Take for example this reaction. I know that HNO3 is an acid and KOH is a base, but if I didn't know that how would I be able to ...
- 607