Everyday neutralisation myths busted

Everyday neutralisation is a topic often introduced when teaching acids and bases to give real-world relevance to something that can seem inherently suited to the science classroom. Acid–alkali reactions often take centre stage; however, when it comes to everyday pH adjustments, the acid–insoluble base reaction – or even just dilution – has an important role to play.

Use this article and practical investigating whether different toothpaste brands are insoluble bases or alkaline with your 11–14 learners. An equipment list, method, results table and questions (with answers) are available to download.