Acids, salts and pH

The idea

Dilute acids react with metals such as magnesium, zinc and iron to make a salt and hydrogen (copper does not react), with alkalis or bases to make a salt and water (neutralisation), and with carbonates to make a salt, water and carbon dioxide. Hydrochloric acid makes chlorides, sulfuric acid makes sulfates and nitric acid makes nitrates. In solution acids produce H⁺ ions and alkalis OH⁻ ions. The pH scale runs 0 to 14: 7 is neutral, below 7 acidic, above 7 alkaline. To make a soluble salt, add an insoluble base in excess, filter, then crystallise.

1. Name the salt from the acid and the metal.
2. Write the products for each reaction type.
3. Order the steps to make a pure, dry salt.

Watch out Adding the base in excess makes sure all of the acid has reacted; the excess is filtered off.