Lecture Notes: Acid-Base Chemistry

Importance of Acid-Base Chemistry

• Crucial for understanding body chemistry
• Involves proton transfer
• Certain substances in the body can act as acids or bases
• In laboratory settings, a wider variety of acids and bases can be used

Hydrochloric Acid

• Common acid used in chemistry
• Produced by the stomach for digestion
• Simple molecule: Hydrogen (H) + Chlorine (Cl)
• Classified as a binary acid

Binary Acids

• Composed of hydrogen and a non-metallic element
• Two main types of acids used in labs:
  • Binary acids: Hydrogen + another non-metal
  • Oxy acids: Differ in their reference to the non-hydrogen element

Naming of Binary Acids

• Names change in aqueous solution to behave as acids
• Naming structure:
  • Prefix "Hydro-"
  • Name of the other element
  • Suffix "-ic"
• Examples:
  • Hydrofluoric acid
  • Hydrochloric acid
  • Hydrobromic acid
  • Hydroiodic acid

Common Binary Acids and Their Origins

• Formed by combining hydrogen with halogens:
  • Most widely used binary acids
• Can also form with chalcogens:
  • Hydrosulfuric acid
  • Hydroselenic acid
  • Hydrotelluric acid

Special Mentions

• Water, while not typically referred to as such, is technically a binary acid
• Hydrosulfuric acid is reasonably acidic
• Hydroselenic and Hydrotelluric acids are less widely used

Conclusion

• Understanding binary acids is key to grasping basic acid-base chemistry principles.