Bases are Selfish Jerks not Acids!

Acids [H⁺] and bases [OH^-]  are two important classes of chemical compounds, which for all intents and purposes, are completely opposite of each other.  Like evil twins stuck in an eternal battle to destroy their siblings, if acids and bases are mixed together in solution they will begin to neutralize their counterpart.

[H⁺] + [OH^-] = H₂O

acid          base        water

Of course, neither acids nor bases are truly evil, although acids have gotten a rather unfair reputation.  Acids are one of the most misconstrued and villainized chemical compounds in literature, movies and pop culture.  Due to its strong corrosive nature against metal, flesh, and bone, a vat of acid is often portrayed as a cheap effective torture device for the average evil mastermind, used against the hapless superhero, during their quest for world domination.

It is true that falling into a vat of strong acid would be extremely painful, destroy your complexion, and likely lead to life-threatening injuries, but did you know that strong basic compounds can have the same and likely worse effects against the human body?

Why it is true that saying the phrase “a vat of acid,” in a movie does sound cooler and much more ominous than saying “a vat of base,” it should be noted that protective gear should be utilized at all times when dealing with any acid or base.

The relationship between acids and bases is largely about give and take and in all actuality it is the basic compounds that are the selfish jerks in this relationship, not acids.  Bases are defined as a proton [H⁺] acceptor and all they do is take, take, and take.  In water, bases will undergo a chemical reaction and begin to sequester and “steal” all free-floating [H⁺] ions in the solution.  Without even asking!

So if bases are the jerks in this relationship, what does that make acids?  Acids are defined as proton [H⁺] donors, they have a tendency to give, give, and give.  In solution acids will release hydrogen protons into water, the same protons that the basic compound will ultimately then steal.  Acids are the chemical equivalent of a selfless martyred saint.

Nothing, of course, in this world, is completely black and white, including the “saintly” or “jerkish” nature of acids and bases. Unlike their stronger counterparts, weak acids will only disassociate or “give” a small amount of [H⁺] ions, while weak bases will only bind or “take” a small amount of [H⁺] ions.

Then does that mean the pH scale tells us how rude a given solution might be?

The pH scale is a logarithmic scale that ranges from 0-14, and measures the ratio of [H⁺] to [OH^-] levels in solution. The pH scale measures the range of acidic or alkaline (basic) nature of a given substance.  Distilled water is at a neutral pH of 7.0.  If a compound is added to water that increases the concentration of [H⁺] ions, the pH level will decrease, and the solution will become increasingly acidic.  On the flipside, a compound that decreases the amount of [H⁺] in solution will increase the pH of a solution and cause the solution to become increasingly basic.

Kids, don’t play with acids or bases. Ever.

Although, only with your parents permission and supervision, mixing baking soda and vinegar can be a fun messy trick.