Acids in the laboratory
Dilute acids
Strong acidCorrosive substance which has a pH lower than 7. Acidity is caused by a high concentration of hydrogen ions. such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and nitric acid are laboratory acids that have been mixed with a lot of water before putting them out for use. Their bottles are labelled with a warning symbol to show that they can irritate your skin or cause some other minor harm to health.
This means that if any of them makes contact with your skin, it may become red or blistered. You must wash off any spills with plenty of water, otherwise your skin may soon feel as if it is burning.
Concentrated acids
Concentrated acids are acids mixed with very little water. They are much more dangerous than dilute acids. Concentrated acids are corrosiveAble to damage metal, stonework, clothes and skin. Strong acids and alkalis are corrosive.. They can attack metals and destroy skin if spilled. Their bottles are labelled with a warning symbol to show that they are corrosive.
Weak acids
Laboratory acids are far too dangerous to taste, but you will have swallowed some dilute weak acids. Acids have a sour taste, like vinegar, which contains ethanoic acid, and lemons, which contain citric acid. These are safe to use in food, but they can still hurt if they get into a cut or into your eyes. The table shows these and other acids found in food: