What are the differences between acids and bases, and how do you measure their strength?

Acids and bases are two types of chemical substances that have distinct properties. Acids have a sour taste, can dissolve metals, and turn litmus paper red. Bases, on the other hand, have a bitter taste, feel slippery, and turn litmus paper blue.

The difference between acids and bases lies in their pH level. The pH scale measures the acidity or basicity of a substance and ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, while pH values below 7 are acidic, and pH values above 7 are basic.

The strength of an acid or base is determined by its ability to donate or accept hydrogen ions, respectively. Acids with a low pH value are strong acids because they readily donate hydrogen ions, while bases with a high pH value are strong bases because they readily accept hydrogen ions.

The pH of an acid or base can be measured using a pH meter or pH paper. A pH meter is a device that measures the electrical potential difference between two electrodes immersed in a solution. pH paper is a strip of paper that changes color in response to the pH of a solution.

The pH of an acid or base can also be calculated using the acid dissociation constant (Ka) or the base dissociation constant (Kb). These constants are a measure of the strength of the acid or base and can be used to calculate the concentration of hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions in a solution.