Matter
...nd react with a base to produce a salt and water (neutral substances). But bases are substances that taste bitter, feel slippery, and turn red litmus paper blue, are good conductors of electricity in solution, and react with acids to produce a salt and water (neutral substances). Common acids are easily recognized because their formulas begin with a hydrogen, for example, sulfuric acid H SO . But most bases are compounds that contain the hydroxide ion (OH ), for example, sodium hydroxide has formula NaOH. Substances that contain the bicarbonate, or hydrogen carbonate, (HCO ), are bases because they react with water to form hydroxide ions, for example baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO ). Another property of acids and bases is their affect on indicators, which are substances that turn different colours in acids and bases. For examples phenolphthalein which turn to cloudy in acid solution and to fuscia in base solution. Bromothymol blue which turn to yellow in acid solution and to blue in base solution. Blue litmus paper turns to pink in acid solution and blue in base solution. And red litmus paper which turn to pink in acid solution and to blue in base solution. To know how acidic or basic a solution is, we use pH scale which is a...