What are the Properties of Acids?

All acids have a pH of less than 7 (see pH)
and all acids make hydrogen ions in water.

All acids will make litmus paper turn from blue to red
and universal indicator will turn red, orange or yellow.

 
What are the Chemical Reactions of Acids?

All acids will react with

1) Any alkali or base, see neutralisation.

2) Any metal above hydrogen in the reactivity series.
The metal will fizz, giving off hydrogen gas,
and leaving the metal salt in solution.
It is not safe to put a metal into an acid which is
above magnesium in the reactivity series.

Any chloride or sulfate can be safely made
by reacting the appropriate metal
(from lead to magnesium in the reactivity series)
with hydrochloric acid to make the chloride
or sulfuric acid to make the sulfate (see examples).

3) Any metal carbonate or metal hydrogen carbonate.
The metal carbonate or metal hydrogen carbonate will bubble
giving off carbon dioxide gas, leaving the metal salt and water.

Any chloride or sulfate can be made
by reacting the appropriate metal carbonate or hydrogen carbonate
with hydrochloric acid to make the chloride
or sulfuric acid to make the sulfate (see examples).