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Traits of acids, bases, etc. which cause the reactions

Hi Sir, I'm a student from Singapore so I'm not sure what grade I'm considered over where you are.

I would like to ask what are the traits of acids, bases, metals and carbonates that allow them to react the way they do with each other. What I mean is, I know that acids are acidic because of their H+ ion, and that bases are alkaline because of their OH- ion, but what exactly about the H+ and OH- ions allow them to react in the way they do with each other, such that the predictable way they react to form salt and water is a blanket rule for all acids and bases?

I would like to enquire on the traits of acids, bases, metals and carbonates that allow them to react the way they do with each other.

Thank you sir,
H

Hayate S.
Student - Singapore
August 16, 2010

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Hayate,
These are all things better explained over the course of several days in a standard chemistry class, but in a general sense, chemicals and ions in solution have an amount that they "want" to react to other things. Some "want" to react, other things don't really "want" to react. H+ and OH- ions are ones that "want" to react very much. Acids dissolve solids because the H+ ions "want" to take electrons and form hydrogen gas, leaving the former solids as positive ions in solution. H+ and OH- especially want to react with each other, forming water. The left behind parts of the acid and base, the "conjugates", (i.e. the Cl- in HCl and the Na+ in NaOH) are salt simply because that's the chemist's term for any collection of nonreacting ions in solution, and also the ionic solid left if all the water evaporates.

Ray Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.

McHenry, Illinois

August 27, 2010