An acid and a base cancel each other
A red ant bites. Moist baking soda on the bite eases the sting. Why?
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The idea
A red ant bite holds an acid, formic acid. Baking soda, a base, cancels that acid.
Mix an acid with just enough base. The mixture is neither acidic nor basic. This is neutralisation.
The acid and the base make salt and water. They also give out heat. This salt is a new substance. Table salt is one kind of salt.
Baking soda also gives off bubbles of gas with an acid.
Step 1 of 4
- Lemon water. Blue litmus comes out red.
- Add baking soda water, drop by drop.
- Blue litmus stays blue. Red litmus stays red. The mixture is neutral.
- One drop more: red litmus turns blue.
An acid and a base cancel each other. They make salt and water, and give out heat.