Most cleaning solutions are acids and bases and there is usually a right cleaning solution for a particular stain. Reading the label of the solution will give you an idea which product is the best for the stain that you will remove. Therefore, we must be familiar with the formulas of acids and bases and their respective names.
Naming Acids
Acids like hydrogen chloride which are composed of only two elements, hydrogen, and a nonmetal, are called binary acids. The name hydrogen chloride refers to the pure compound which is a gas. When hydrogen chloride is dissolved in water, the solution formed hydrochloric acid. Other examples are the following:
Pure Acid | Aqueous Solution |
HF(g)—hydrogen fluoride | HF(aq)—hydrofluoric acid |
HI(g)—hydrogen iodide | HI(aq)—hydroiodic acid |
Many other acids, called ternary acids, consist of three elements—hydrogen and two other nonmetals. Many of these acids are oxyacids, that is, one of the two nonmetals is oxygen. Examples are nitric acid and sulfurous acid.
The names of these oxyacids are based on the number of oxygen atoms per molecule.
Naming Oxyacids of Sulfur
Formula | Name | Formula and Name of Oxyanion Formed upon Reaction with Water |
H2SO3 | Sulfurous acid | SO3-2, sulfite |
H2SO4 | Sulfuric acid | SO4-2, sulfate |
Take note of the progression of the change in the names of the acids in each set as related to the progression in the number of oxygen atoms per molecule of the acid.
Naming Oxyacids of Chlorine
Scheme for Naming the Acids | Formula | Name | Formula and Name of Oxyanion Formed upon Reaction with Water |
Hypo___ous | HClO | Hypochlorous acid | ClO-, hypochlorite |
___ous | HClO2 | Chlorous acid | ClO2-, chlorite |
___ic | HClO3 | Chloric acid | ClO3-, chlorate |
Per___ic | HClO4 | Perchloric acid | ClO4-, perchlorate |
Common Acids and Their Uses
Name | Uses |
Acetic acid | Acid in vinegar used to season and preserve food; cleans and deodorizes |
Hydrochloric acid | Aids in digestion; used as toilet bowl cleaner and for cleaning metal surfaces |
Sulfuric acid | Used in automobile batteries and in making dyes and plastics; a dehydrating agent |
Nitric acid | Used in making explosives and fertilizers |
Phosphoric acid | Removes hard water deposits; used in making fertilizers; used in softdrinks (in dilute form) |
Carbonic acid | Used in the manufacture of carbonated drinks |
Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) | Reduces pain and inflammation |
Bases are compounds consisting of a metal and a hydroxide ion. They dissociate into these ions when dissolved in water. Examples of base dissociation reactions are:
NaOH H2O Na+(aq) + OH-(aq)
Ca(OH)2(s) H2O Ca2+(aq) + 2 OH-(aq) Bases are named just like binary acids in pure form; the ions are named, then combined.
Example 1: NaOH
Ions: Na+- sodium
OH- - hydroxide
Base: sodium hydroxide
Example 2: NH4OH
Ions: NH4+- ammonium
OH- - hydroxide
Base: ammonium hydroxide
Common Bases and Their Uses
Name | Uses |
Sodium hydroxide | Used in making soaps and detergents; a drain and oven cleaner |
Lithium hydroxide | Used in removing CO2 from air in confined areas such as submarines and spaceships |
Magnesium hydroxide (in Milk of Magnesia) | Used as an antacid in small dosages and laxative in large amounts |
Aluminum hydroxide | Used as an antacid with no dosage restrictions |
Ammonia | Used in the production of fertilizers and cleaning solutions; revives patients who fainted |
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