ACIDS, BASES AND SALTS From generations, our parents have been using tamarind or lemon juice to give shiny look to the copper vessels. Our mothers never store pickles in metal containers. Common salt and sugar has often been used as an effective preservative. How did our ancestors know that tamarind, lemon, vinegar, sugar etc. works effectively? This was common collective wisdom which was passed from generation to generation. These days, bleaching powder, baking soda etc. are commonly used in our homes. You must have used various cleaners to open drains and pipes and window pane cleaners for sparkling glass. How do these chemicals work? In this lesson we will try to find answers to these questions. Most of these examples can be classified as acids, bases or salts. In this unit we shall categorize these substances. We shall study about their characteristic properties. We will also be learning about pH – a measure of acidity and its importance in our life.