Acids / Bases

An acid is a substance capable of releasing hydrogen ions (H+) into a solution. However, a substance that can receive an electron pair is also considered an acid. A base is a substance capable of dissociating hydroxide ions (OH-) in a solution. In addition, substances that are capable of donating an electron pair are also considered basic.

Both acids and bases can be identified by their position on the pH scale. In the case of acids, these have a value below 7, while bases have a value above 7.