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Worksheet9th GradeLevel 2 · Standard

Free 9th Grade Acids and Bases: The pH Scale, Indicators and Neutralization Worksheet

Students describe the properties of acids and bases, use the pH scale to compare how acidic or basic substances are (including the tenfold change between each pH unit) and predict the colors of litmus, universal indicator and phenolphthalein. They then write word equations for neutralization and for the reactions of acids with metals and carbonates, name the salts produced, identify the gases with simple tests and explain everyday uses of neutralization.

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Grade
9th Grade
Subject
Science
Topic
Mixtures & Chemical Reactions
Difficulty
Level 2 · Standard
Estimated time
45 minutes
Curriculum
Texas grade levels (TEKS)
Questions
24
Answers
Included, with working
Format
PDF (A4), print or complete online

Students will practice

  • describing the properties of acids and bases
  • using the pH scale to classify and compare substances
  • predicting the colors of common indicators
  • writing word equations for neutralization reactions
  • naming the salts formed from common acids
  • describing reactions of acids with metals and carbonates and testing for the gases
  • explaining everyday uses of neutralization

Curriculum: Texas grade levels (TEKS). We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.

What's next?

Completed: Acids and Bases: The pH Scale, Indicators and Neutralization

  1. 1Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions
  2. 2Combustion, Rusting and Oxidation Reactions

How to use this worksheet

  1. Print the PDF or complete it on screen. Write the student's name and date at the top.
  2. Read the instructions for each part together before starting. Encourage working to be shown.
  3. Mark with the answer sheet. Use the model answers and success criteria as a guide rather than a single right answer.
  4. Record the score, celebrate what went well, then follow the "What's next" suggestion.

Common questions

Who is this worksheet for?

9th Grade students (typically ages 14–15) working on mixtures & chemical reactions. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.

Are the answers included?

Yes. The PDF includes a full answer sheet with model answers and success criteria where there is more than one good answer. You can also view the answers online.

How long does it take?

About 45 minutes for 24 questions. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.

Do I need to sign up to download?

No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.

What should we do next?

Try Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions.

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Success TutoringWorksheets9th Grade · Science · Mixtures & Chemical Reactions

Acids and Bases: The pH Scale, Indicators and Neutralization

Name

Date

Score /

Each step of one pH unit is a tenfold change. Acid + base → salt + water.

Part A: The pH scale

Acids taste sour, can be corrosive, turn blue litmus red and react with many metals and with carbonates. Lemon juice, vinegar and stomach acid contain acids. Bases can be corrosive, feel slippery or soapy and turn red litmus blue. A base that dissolves in water is called an alkali. Soap, baking soda and drain cleaner are basic.

The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a solution is, usually from 0 to 14. Below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral and above 7 is basic. Each step of one pH unit is a tenfold change: pH 3 is 10 times more acidic than pH 4 and 100 times more acidic than pH 5.

Never taste or touch chemicals in the laboratory. Strong acids and bases cause burns; always wear safety glasses.

1.A solution with a pH less than 7 is (answer space).
2.A solution with a pH of exactly 7, such as pure water at 25 °C, is (answer space).
3.A solution with a pH greater than 7 is (answer space) (alkaline).
4.Which of these is the most acidic?
  1. ApH 1
  2. BpH 4
  3. CpH 7
  4. DpH 13
5.How many times more acidic is a solution of pH 3 than a solution of pH 4?
  1. A10 times
  2. B1 time (the same)
  3. C2 times
  4. D100 times
6.How many times more acidic is a solution of pH 2 than a solution of pH 5? (answer space)
7.Put these in order from most acidic to most basic: drain cleaner (about pH 14), pure water (pH 7), lemon juice (about pH 2), baking soda solution (about pH 8), stomach acid (about pH 1.5), soapy water (about pH 10). (answer space)

Part B: Indicators

An indicator is a substance that changes color depending on whether a solution is acidic or basic. Universal indicator colors run: red (strong acid), orange and yellow (weak acid), green (neutral), blue (weak base), purple (strong base).

8.Match each indicator result to its meaning.
  • Blue litmus turns red
  • Red litmus turns blue
  • Universal indicator turns green
  • Universal indicator turns red
  • Universal indicator turns purple
  • Phenolphthalein turns pink
  • The solution is acidic
  • The solution is neutral (about pH 7)
  • The solution is strongly basic
  • The solution is strongly acidic
  • The solution is basic
  • The solution is basic
9.Phenolphthalein stays colorless in a neutral solution. ☐ True   ☐ False
10.Litmus can only tell you whether a solution is acidic or basic. What extra information does universal indicator give? (answer space)
11.A solution turns universal indicator blue. Is it acidic, neutral or basic? Is it strongly or weakly so? (answer space)

Part C: Neutralization and salts

When an acid reacts with a base, they cancel each other out. This is neutralization: acid + base → salt + water. A salt is a compound made of a metal (from the base) and the non-metal part of the acid.

The acid decides the second part of the salt name: hydrochloric acid makes chlorides, sulfuric acid makes sulfates and nitric acid makes nitrates.

Acids also react with metal carbonates: acid + metal carbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide, and with many metals: acid + metal → salt + hydrogen.

12.Complete the word equation: hydrochloric acid + sodium hydroxide → ________ + ________ (answer space)
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About this resource

Created by
Success Tutoring Science Team
Last reviewed
1 October 2026
How it was made
Written by our team

Free to print and share for personal, classroom and homeschool use. Please don't resell. Spotted an error? Let us know.