⇒ Acids taste <em>sour, react with metals, react with carbonates, and turn blue litmus paper red</em>. Bases <em>taste bitter, feel slippery, do not react with carbonates and turn red litmus paper blue</em>.
The study of acids and bases is crucial to chemistry. The Lewis acid/base motif, which broadens the concept of an acid and base beyond H+ and OH- ions, is one of the most relevant theories.
Acids are ionic compounds, which means they have a positive or negative charge. In water, these ionic compounds separate to create hydrogen ions, or H+.
The quantity of H+ ions in the solution determines how strong an acid is. Acid is stronger the more H+ there is. Bases are ionic substances that separate in water to produce the negatively charged hydroxide ion (OH-). The quantity of Hydroxide ions in a base determines its strength (OH-). The strength of the base increases with OH- ion concentration.
Hope this helps,
- Eddie.
