Acidic and Basic Solutions

[katielam2G]

Can someone please explain what happens when an acid is added to a basic solution, what happens when a base is added to a basic solution, and why these occur? I vaguely remember this being related to pKa and pH but don't remember the relation.

[Daniel Gunderson 1H]

When an acid and base are mixed they neutralize and produce a salt and water in their reaction. This occurs because the acid and base produce H+ and OH- respectively which come together to form H2O. The remaining conjugate base and acid join together to form a salt.

[205957986]

When you add an acid to something that's already basic, the acid makes it less basic by giving away protons. This creates more acidic conditions as the balance shifts. On the other hand, if you add a base to something that's already acidic, the base takes away protons, making it less acidic and more balanced. This happens because acids and bases exchange protons, changing the overall acidity or basicity of the solution.