Which properties belong to acids, bases or salts?

Turns litmus
paper blue
Turns litmus
paper red
Can turn litmus
paper red or blue
Adding to solution
decreases pH
Adding to solution
increases pH
Adding to solution may
increase or decrease pH
Accepts hydrogen ions
Releases hydrogen ions
No universal interaction
with hydrogen ions

1 answer

Sure! Here's how the properties you listed can be categorized based on whether they belong to acids, bases, or salts:

Acids:

  • Turns litmus paper red: Acids turn blue litmus paper red.
  • Adding to solution decreases pH: Acids have a lower pH, hence adding them decreases the pH.
  • Releases hydrogen ions: Acids donate protons (H⁺ ions) in solution.

Bases:

  • Turns litmus paper blue: Bases turn red litmus paper blue.
  • Adding to solution increases pH: Bases raise the pH of a solution.
  • Accepts hydrogen ions: Bases can accept protons (H⁺ ions).

Salts:

  • Can turn litmus paper red or blue: Some salts can be neutral, acidic, or basic depending on the ions present and can therefore affect litmus paper in different ways.
  • Adding to solution may increase or decrease pH: The effect on pH will depend on the specific salt and its ionization in water.
  • No universal interaction with hydrogen ions: Salts do not directly donate or accept hydrogen ions in a consistent manner like acids and bases do.

These categorizations can help in determining the behavior of substances in aqueous solution based on their acid-base properties.