Strong Acids VS Strong Bases

Chemistry Level 2

True or false?

A solution containing a strong acid will always burn your skin if you spill it on yourself.

A solution containing a strong base will always burn your skin if you spill it on yourself.

True for both True for acid, false for base False for acid, true for base False for both

2 solutions

Jordan Calmes
Apr 6, 2016

False. Strong acids or bases dissociate completely in aqueous solution. Classifying an acid or base as "strong" says nothing about its concentration. The concentration of the solution determines whether or not it will react with your skin. An acidic solution can be very concentrated and burn skin, even if it is a weak acid. On the other hand, a very dilute $\ce{HCl}$ solution may not have enough molecules of acid to cause damage.

For example, $\ce{HCl}$ is a strong acid and 5 M $\ce{HCl}$ will burn your skin, but 0.5 M $\ce{HCl}$ will not. The solution is more dilute, but it is still a strong acid solution.

Jordan Calmes - 5 years, 2 months ago

Surely it depends on the Person and some people may be more reactive to the acid/Base even if it is diluted.

Bob Berqulski - 5 years, 1 month ago

Well, take a concentration of $10^{-7} M$ .

Shourya Pandey - 5 years, 1 month ago

Also, they never said the solution of the strong base/strong acid couldn't be neutralized before you spill it on yourself. A 1.0 M solution of HCl mixed with the same volume of 1.0 M NaOH isn't going to burn you, given that they have already been neutralized. That is an exception to the rule.

Najat Mannoun - 3 years, 2 months ago

Najat Mannoun
Apr 2, 2018

Strong Acids VS Strong Bases

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