pH and pOH Quiz

3 Properties of Acids:

• Taste sour
• Acids neutralize bases to produce salt and water
• pH less than 7

3 Properties of Bases:

• Tastes bitter
• Bases neutralize acids to produce salt and water
• pH more than 7

3 Uses of Acids:

• Vinegar - Commonly used in Kitchens and for food preparation
• Batteries - Sulphuric Acid is used in batteries for  anything from toys to cars
• Industry - Nitric Acid and Sulphuric Acid are used in making fertilizers, dyes, paints, drugs and explosives

3 Uses of Bases:

• Drain Cleaner
• Baking Soda
• Bleach

http://www.sciencegeek.net/Chemistry/chempdfs/AcidBaseSummary.pdf
http://www.preservearticles.com/201012261679/common-uses-of-acids.html
http://www.chemistryconnections.com/acids%20bases/Unit%2012%20quiz%20answers.pdf

What is a Mole?

A mole is a standard scientific unit that is used to measure large quantities of small things like atoms and molecules.  One mole is considered to be 6.02214179x10^23.  This number is also considered to be "Avogadro's Number", named after the Italian Physicist Amedeo Avogadro that discovered and created the number.  Avogadro believed that equal volumes of all gases at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules.  This hypothesis then led to the concept of the mole.  Moles are helpful in chemistry because they allow scientists to count a large quantity of something small such as molecules.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/388062/mole
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/45884/Amedeo-Avogadro

Earth's Biogeochemical Cycles

         When researchers study the biogeochemical cycles, they combine them or "couple" them to "each other and to Earth's physical features."  This is because one cycle can't exist without the other.  For example, the Nitrogen cycle can't exist without the Carbon cycle, Hydrogen cycle, or Oxygen cycle.  It is now more important than ever to study these cycles together instead of separately because global warming is making these cycles fall out of sync with each other.  Researcher Jon Cole said that knowledge about coupled biogeochemical cycles is "essential to addressing a range of human impacts."  Studying these cycles together is also more important because "it will shed light on questions such as the success of wetland restoration and the status of aquatic food webs."  Earth counts on these biogeochemical cycles to keep the balance between all of the different climates and habitats.  Again Cole states that, "seemingly subtle chemical changes may have large effects."  If we don't study these cycles together and in relation to each other, then we may miss the chance to help maintain the balance between the cycles.