all acids. Let us perform an activity to investigate whether all compounds containing hydrogen are acids or not.
Prepare solutions of glucose, alcohol, hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid etc..
Connect two different coloured electrical wires to graphite rods separately in a 100 ml beaker as shown in figure.
Connect free ends of the wire to 230 volts AC plug and complete the circuit as shown in the fig-3 by connecting a bulb to one of the wires.Now pour some dilute HC/ in the beaker and switch on the currentRepeat activity with dilute sulphuric acid and glucose and alcohol solutions separately.
You will notice that the bulb glows only in acid solutions but not in glucose and alcohol solutions. Glowing of bulb indicates that there is flow of electric current through the solution. Acid solutions have ions and the moment of these ions in solution helps for flow of electric current through the solution.
The positive ion (cation) present in HC/ solution is H. This suggests that acids produce hydrogen ions H' in solution, which are responsible for their acidic properties. In glucose and alcohol solution the bulb did not glow indicating the absence of H ions in these solutions. The acidity of acids is attributed to the H+ ions produced by them in solutions.
What do Bases have in common?
Repeat the Activity-7 using alkalis such as sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide solutions etc., instead of acid solutions