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Acidic and basic solutions
Ions in acidic and basic solutions
All aqueous solutions (as well as pure water) contain hydroxide ions (formula OH-) and hydrogen ions (formula H+).
These ions are produced naturally by a chemical process that takes place between water molecules.
When a solution is neutral there are as many hydroxide ions as hydrogen ions.
Hydrogen ions are responsible for the acidity of a solution: when a solution contains more hydrogen ions than hydroxide ions then the solution is acidic.
Conversely hydroxide ions are responsible for the basicity of a solution: when they outnumber the hydrogen ions then the solution is basic.
Comment: The presence of hydroxide ions and hydrogen ions in pure water explains why it is never totally insulative
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