Acid

Key concepts

How Acid connects to the ideas, people and events around it.

1. Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory

   is a type of

   A Brønsted–Lowry acid is defined as a proton donor in a chemical reaction. This concept was introduced by Johannes Brønsted and Thomas Lowry in 1923.

2. Lewis acids and bases

   is a type of

   A Lewis acid is a chemical species that accepts an electron pair. The concept was formulated by Gilbert N. Lewis in 1923.

3. PH

   measured by

   pH is a scale that measures the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. A pH below 7 indicates an acidic solution.

4. Acid rain

   causes

   Acid rain is precipitation with elevated levels of hydrogen ions, making it acidic. It is primarily caused by atmospheric sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from fossil fuel combustion.

5. Sulfuric acid

   includes

   Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid widely used in industry, especially in fertilizer production. It is produced on a massive scale via the contact process.

6. Acetic acid

   includes

   Acetic acid is a weak organic acid that gives vinegar its sour taste. It is produced biologically by fermentation of ethanol.

7. Robert Boyle

   studied by

   Robert Boyle was a 17th‑century chemist who investigated the properties of acids and bases. He formulated Boyle's law and contributed to early acid theory.

8. Corrosion

   causes

   Corrosion is the degradation of metals caused by chemical reactions with acids or other agents. Acidic environments accelerate the rusting of iron.

Questions about Acid