[Science Form 2] Two Important Solutions

Acids and alkalis are two important kinds of solutions.

Acid

comes from the latin word acidus, which means "sharp" or "sour". Some of the acids can be found in: Lemons/lemon juice, which contains citric acid, Oranges, which contain ascorbic acids, Ant and bee stings, which contain methanoic acid, Tea, which contains tannic acid, Soft drinks, which contain carbonic acid, Vinegar, which contains ethanoic acid, and Our body, which contains small compounds called amino acids.
+

There are different strengths of acids. The number of H determines the strength of

ions formed in the solution an acid.

Examples of strong acids: hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid and nitric acid. Examples of weak acids: ethanoic acid, citric acid and carbonic acid.

Alkali

comes from the Arabic word al-qaliy, which means "the ashes". Alkalis are present in many cleaning substances used in our homes today, especially in kitchen cleaners like oven spray, floor cleaners and creams for sinks. Kitchen cleaners are alkaline because they contain ammonia or sodium hydroxide, which attack grease. Other common alkalis include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and ammonia. There are different strengths of alkalis. The number of OH - ions in the solution determines the strength of an alkali. Some examples of strong alkalis are calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, while the most recognisable and common weak alkali is ammonia.

[Science Form 2] Difference Of Acids & Alkalis

Scientists use something called the pH scale to measure the strength of an acidic or alkaline liquid. Although there may be many types of ions in a solution, the pH focuses on the concentration of hydrogen ions ( H+) and hydroxide ions ( OH-). The scale goes from

values

very

close

to

through

14.

Distilled water is 7. Acids can have a pH of between 0 and a number very close to below 7, while alkalis have a pH of between a number very close to above 7 and 14.

Most of the liquids we find every day have a pH near 7. They are either a little below or above that mark. If we go into a chemistry lab, we could find solutions with a pH of 1 and others with a pH of 14. There are also very strong acids with pH values of below 1, such as battery acid. Alkalis with pH values of near 14 include drain cleaners and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). These chemicals are corrosive and very dangerous. Also you can easily tell if a substance is an acid or not by its effect on litmus paper. Blue litmus paper is used for testing acids. If wet blue litmus paper turns red, the substance is acidic. Wet red litmus paper is used to test alkalis, which will turn the paper blue.

Properties of acids and alkalis that distinguish them from other substances Acids

have a sour taste and feel like water. turn litmus solution red, as well as turn blue litmus paper red.

have pH numbers less than 7. react with metals, forming hydrogen and a salt. react with carbonates, forming a salt, water and carbon dioxide. react with alkalis, forming a salt and water.

Alkalis

feel soapy to touch and taste bitter. turn litmus solution blue, as well as turn red litmus paper blue. have pH numbers greater than 7. react with ammonium compounds to give off ammonia gas (except for ammonia). react with acids, forming a salt and water. do not react with metals and carbonates.

Acids

Taste: Sour. Touch: Like water. Tested with litmus paper: Turn blue litmus red. pH value: From 0 to less than 7. Reaction with metals: Form hydrogen and a salt. Reaction with carbonates: Form a salt, water and carbon dioxide. Reaction with ammonium compounds: No reaction.

Alkalis

Taste: Bitter. Touch: Soapy. Tested with litmus paper: Turn red litmus blue. pH value: From above 7 to 14. Reaction with metals: No reaction. Reaction with carbonates: No reaction. Reaction with ammonium compounds: Give off ammonia gas.

Note: Strong acids and alkalis are corrosive and dangerous.

[Science Form 2] Different Stages For Water Treatment

1. Filtration o Here, the remaining substances and sediment pass through layers of sand filters and are removed. 2. Disinfection o In this tank, a small quantity of chlorine is added to the water to kill any remaining bacteria. A small amount of fluoride is also added to the water to help prevent tooth decay. 3. Coagulation o From the reservoir, water is pumped into this tank and mixed with slaked lime and alum. Alum makes the fine solid particles stick together and form larger solid lumps, and slaked lime reduces the acidity of the water. 4. Reservoirs o River water is pumped here and left for several days. During that time, sunlight kills most of the dangerous bacteria in the water. Mud, silt and other suspended substances will sink to the bottom and a metal screen removes large solid particles from the water. 5. Storage o Water that has been treated enters these tanks before being pumped into the supply ponds, which are usually found on hilltops or at higher levels. From the supply ponds, water flows through pipes to houses. 6. Sedimentation o The water then flows very slowly into these tanks, where the larger lumps sink to the bottom of the tank and are then removed.

[Science Form 2] Air Pressure

Since air has mass, the atmosphere pushes against all thing on Earth, including us! This "pressing down" of the atmosphere is called air pressure or atmospheric pressure. Drinking through a straw

When you drink through a straw from an open glass of water, air pressure allow the water to travel up the straw. By sucking on the straw, you are reducing the air pressure inside your mouth. While sucking in the straw, the air pressure in your mouth is less than the air pressure outside of the straw - in the room and in the glass. The outer air pressure pushes down on the water in the glass and this forces the water up the straw. Can you predict what will happen if you put an airtight over the glass of water? No matter how hard you suck, the water will not go up the straw. Why? Well, when air pressure on the water is blocked, there is no air pressure to help push the water up your straw. The air can't get to the water to push on it, so it doesn't go up the straw.

Unclogging

the

sink

with

plunger

A plunger is made of a long stick and a bell-shaped, sturdy rubber cup on one end. The rubber cup of the plunger is set onto the draining hole of the sink to create a seal. The plunger stick is then pushed down, inverting the rubber plunger cap and forcing the air that was in the plunger cap into the pipe. The plunger is then pulled back, sucking air and water up with it, causing a vacuum. This abrupt force of air and water pressure helps loosen a clog in the pipes and gets the sink water draining again. It may take several repeated motions of pushing and pulling back on the plunger to loosen the clog.

[Science Form 2] Experiment - Air Pressure

This is very interesting experiment. All you need is a hard-boiled egg, a bottle, and three matchsticks. Here's what you do: 1. Make sure the mouth of the bottle is just small enough to keep the egg from falling inside. 2. Set the bottle on the table, and peel the egg. 3. Light the three matchsticks and drop them into the bottle. 4. Quickly place the egg over the mouth of the bottle.

This is what you would observe... the egg is sucked into the bottle. 1. Discuss with your partner how you would explain this phenomena and write it out. Explanation: The lit matchsticks heat the air inside the bottle. When air is heated, it expands. As the heated air expands, some of it escapes out of the bottle. When the matches go out, the air inside the bottle cools and contracts, thus creating a lower air pressure inside the bottle than outside. The greater pressure outside the bottle forces the egg into the bottle. 2. Now, what would Turn the bottle you do upside to get down the egg and out of blow the bottle? into it. method.

3. Explain your The increased air pressure in the bottle will cause the egg to pop back out.

[Science Form 2] Experiments On Air Pressure At Home

Experiment! Have you ever tried carrying out experiments on air pressure at home? Let's see how we can inflate a balloon inside a bottle.

Inflate

balloon

inside

bottle?

Is

that

possible?

All you need is a bottle, a bowl, some hot water, some ice-cold water and a balloon. Now, let's start the experiment. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Fill the bottle with hot water. Fill the bowl with the ice-cold water. Let both sit for one minute. Empty out the bottle. Stretch the balloon over the mouth of the bottle. Set the bottle in the bowl of cold water.

This is what you would observe... an inverted inflated balloon in the bottle! How do we explain this phenomena?

First of all, air contracts and takes up less room when cooled. Similarly, it expands when it gets hot. The hot water heats the bottle. When the bottle is poured out, the heated bottle then heats the air in it. When the bottle is placed in the bowl of cold water, the air inside the bottle cools and contracts, causing the air pressure inside the bottle to decrease. When this happens, the higher air pressure outside the bottle causes the air outside to be drawn in, pulling the balloon in and inflating it inside the bottle.

[Science Form 2] Water

Water is perhaps the most important nutrient in our diets. In fact, a human adult needs to drink approximately two litres (8 glasses) of water every day to replenish the water that is lost from the body through the skin, respiratory tract, and urine.

However, 99.7% of the Earth's water supply is not usable by humans. This unusable water includes salt water, ice, and water vapour in the atmosphere. Only fresh water, which is contained in rivers, lakes, and underground sources, can be used for human consumption. Furthermore, many freshwater sources are not suitable for human to drink. Water containing dangerous microorganisms and large amounts of industrial waste or agriculture chemicals (eg pesticides) can be toxic and unfit for drinking. Hence, humans have a great need for a reliable source of clean fresh water for drinking. In addition to the water needed for drinking, other uses of fresh water include household use (eg cooking and cleaning), industry, agriculture (eg irrigation), and recreation. Hence, the quality of fresh water supply is important for virtually every aspect of our lives. Water that is supplied for domestic use must be treated to ensure it is clean. The water supplied must meet the National Guidelines for the Quality of Drinking Water (1983), which is based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines for the Quality of Drinking Water (1984).

[Science Form 2] Protecting Our Water Resources

Conservation is the sustainable use and management of natural resources, including wildlife, water, air, and earth deposits. Natural resources may be renewable or nonrenewable. The conservation of water involves ensuring that is not consumed faster than it can be replaced and ensuring that sufficient quantities are maintained for future generations to utilise. Preservation, in contrast to conservation, attempts to maintain natural resources in their present condition. This is due to the concern that mankind is encroaching onto the environment through farming, industry, housing, tourism and other human developments, and that we are losing too much of what is 'natural'. Our water resources are part of a fragile system, which is potentially at risk. Generally, conservation and preservation of water quality takes place in two arenas: surface water quality - lakes, streams, rivers and ponds - and groundwater quality. A combination of poor soils unsuitable for septic systems, a high water table, and an increasing amount of rural development may begin to threaten the quality of an area's water supply.

Specific regulations, such as those pertaining to soil erosion and sedimentation control practices, protection of wetland areas, increased water body set backs, the use of greenbelts or buffers, and density reductions are among the techniques that can assist in protecting water quality. In the long run, it is cheaper to protect our water resources than it is to try to restore them.