Friday, July 12, 2013

Are all acids corrosive

Acids are the substances that are capable of donating one or more protons (hydrogen ions, H^+).
Corrosion is the process in which a substance (such as a metal or organic material) is gradually damaged on exposure to certain substances (known as corrosives).
Acids are, in general, corrosive substances and cause the destruction of surfaces of many materials. However, not all acids are corrosive in nature. For simplicity, we can assume that strong acids (which give a low pH to the solution they are dissolved into) are corrosive, while weak acids (which gives a somewhat higher pH to the solution they are dissolved into) are non-corrosive.
For example, sulfuric acid is a strong acid and is likely to cause corrosion of the surface it encounters (including our skin, if we are not careful in the laboratory). However, dilute sulfuric acid may be weak enough to not cause corrosion.
Also, note that corrosion is also a property of the material being exposed to a corrosive agent. A corrosive agent may be able to corrode iron, but may not have much effect on gold, for example.
Thus, apart from the strength of the acid itself, the material exposed to it also determines whether the given acid is corrosive or not.
Hope this helps.

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