Q60 of 270 Page 82

A first-aid manual suggests that vinegar should be used to treat wasp stings and baking soda for bee stings.

What does this information tell you about the chemical nature of:


(a) wasp stings?


(b) bee stings?

(a)Wasp sting is alkaline in nature. Hence its effect can be neutralized by vinegar(acetic acid), which is acidic in nature.

(b) Baking soda/ sodium hydrogen carbonate is alkaline in nature and it will neutralize the effect of methanoic acid present in bee sting.



More from this chapter

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58 Here are some results of solutions tested with universal indicator paper Sulphuric acid : Red

Metal polish : Dark blue


Washing-up liquid : Yellow


Milk of magnesia : Light blue


Oven cleaner : Purple


Car battery acid : Pink


Arrange the solutions in order of their increasing pH values (starting with the one with the lowest pH).

 59 Solution A turns universal indicator blue to purple whereas solution B turns universal indicator orange to red.

(a) What will be the action of solution A on litmus?


(b) What will be action of solution B on litmus?


(c) Name any two substances which can give solutions like A.


(d) Name any two substances which can give solutions like B.


(e) What sort of reaction takes place when solution A reacts with solution B?

 61 Explain why the pH in a person's mouth becomes lower after each meal. 61 What damage could be caused while the pH is low?