Bitter tasting food is ______ in nature.
The correct answer is Bases.
Key Points
- Bitter-tasting food is basic in nature with a pH greater than 7. Examples are Ca(OH)2, NaOH, NaHCO3.
- Bases turn red litmus to blue.
- Alkaline gives off OH- ions in water.
Additional Information
- The sour taste of organic food materials is mainly caused by the presence of acidic materials.
- Acids are sour in taste with a pH of less than 7. Examples are Vinegar, Tartaric acid, Citric acid, and Malic acid.
- Acids give off H+ ions in water.
- Acids turn blue litmus to red.
- Acid and base react together to form salt and water and this reaction is known as neutralization.
- Water is neutral with a pH value equal to 7.
Mistake Points
- Bases are usually bitter to taste, turn red litmus paper blue, and release hydroxyl ions (OH) −1 in the solution medium responsible for their basicity.
- Bases can be either water-soluble or they can be insoluble in water.
- Water-soluble bases are known as alkalis, for eg. NaOH, KOH.
- Therefore, we can easily conclude that All alkalis are bases but all bases are not alkalis.
