Acids & Bases — Drills · Grade 11 Science

Chapter: Acids, Bases & Titration

What these drills covers

By the end of Acids & Bases you should be able to:

6 questions, multiple choice and written answer, each with a worked explanation.

Vocabulary used: Arrhenius acid, Arrhenius base, Brønsted-Lowry acid, Brønsted-Lowry base, strong acid, weak acid.

Problem 1

An Arrhenius base produces which ion when dissolved in water?
  1. hydroxide ion, OH⁻
  2. chloride ion, Cl⁻
  3. sodium ion, Na⁺
  4. hydrogen ion, H⁺
Answer and explanation

hydroxide ion, OH⁻

An Arrhenius base releases hydroxide ions, OH⁻, in water.

Problem 2

In the Brønsted-Lowry model, an acid is defined as a…
  1. hydroxide producer only
  2. proton donor
  3. proton acceptor
  4. electron acceptor
Answer and explanation

proton donor

A Brønsted-Lowry acid donates a proton (H⁺).

Problem 3

Which of these is a strong acid?
  1. acetic acid (CH₃COOH)
  2. citric acid
  3. hydrochloric acid (HCl)
  4. carbonic acid
Answer and explanation

hydrochloric acid (HCl)

Hydrochloric acid ionizes completely in water, making it a strong acid; the others are weak acids that ionize only partially.

Problem 4

A substance that can act as either an acid or a base, depending on its reaction partner, is called…
  1. nonpolar
  2. concentrated
  3. saturated
  4. amphoteric
Answer and explanation

amphoteric

An amphoteric substance can donate or accept a proton; water is the most famous example.

Problem 5

Using supplied aqueous-solution observations, describe two kinds of evidence that can help distinguish acidic and basic behavior without relying on pH readings.
Answer and explanation

An appropriate indicator has different colors over acidic and basic ranges; litmus is one broad comparison. Reaction evidence such as proton donation or acceptance toward a specified partner also supports acid/base behavior. Some acids react with suitable metals, but not every acid/metal combination behaves the same way. Sensory observations are not analytical tests.

Problem 6

Why do the labels strong, weak, concentrated, and dilute alone not establish how a chemical should be handled?
Answer and explanation

Strength describes an ionization equilibrium under specified conditions, while concentration describes amount per volume. Neither label identifies all chemical properties. Chemical identity, concentration, exposure conditions, and relevant handling information must also be considered; a weak acid is not automatically less hazardous than a strong one.

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