Question

How would you compare and contrast acids and bases?

Answer 1

The concept of acids and bases are based on the properties of the compounds which show characteristic properties of acids and bases. Acids are referred as protons donors or electron acceptors and bases are protons acceptors or electrons donors.

Complete step by step answer:
Several theories have been proposed for explaining the concept of acids and bases. A number of theories named as Arrhenius concept, Brønsted Lowry concept, Lewis concept, Lux flood concept and HSAB concept are used to characterize a substance as an acid or a base.
According to Arrhenius and Brønsted Lowry concept an acid is a substance which donates protons or releases hydrogen ions (${H^ + }$) when dissolved in water. They are ionized in water and the aqueous solution shows a pH range of $0 - 7$. They turn blue litmus paper red.
A base is a substance which accepts protons from hydrogen ion donors. They are also ionized in water liberating hydroxide ions ($O{H^ - }$). They show a pH range of $7 - 14$. They turn red litmus paper blue.
According to Lewis concept acids are electron pair acceptors and bases are electron pair donors. Similarly according to the Lux-flood concept the acids are oxide acceptors and the bases are oxide donors.
The HSAB concept indicates the cations and anions as hard acid and soft acids and anions as hard bases and soft bases respectively.
Both the acids and bases have the property to corrode metals and both are completely ionized in solution. Acids are found as sour in taste and bases are found as bitter in taste.
Examples of acids are vinegar, lemon, and carbolic acid etc. examples of bases are ammonia, washing soaps and antacids.

Note:
A substance is said to be a strong acid or base when all molecules of it dissociate completely in water to produce their respective ions, ${H^ + }$(aq) for acid and $O{H^ - }$(aq) for base. And a substance is said to be weak acid or base when only a few molecules of it dissociate in water to furnish their respective ions, ${H^ + }$(aq) for acid and $O{H^ - }$(aq) for base.