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NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral

Edited By Shivani Poonia | Updated on Jul 20, 2025 11:14 PM IST

Do you know why lemon tastes sour, what makes soap feel slippery, and why baking soda tastes bitter while turmeric tastes tangy? The answers to all these questions can be found in the NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral. In this chapter, you will learn how to test things to see whether they are acidic, basic, or neutral. You will be using magical tools like litmus paper, turmeric, and even red cabbage juice, which change color when they come into contact with Acids or Bases. Chemistry will come to life in the most vivid and startling ways, from your kitchen shelf to your school lab.

This Story also Contains
  1. Download PDF of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2
  2. NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 (Exercise Questions with Answer)
  3. Practice Questions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2
  4. Approach to Solve Questions of Class 7 Science Chapter 2 Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral
  5. Topics In NCERT Solutions for Chapter 2: Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral
  6. NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter-Wise
  7. NCERT Books and NCERT Syllabus
NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral
NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science help you to explore, experiment, and find out how the world around you is full of hidden hints that you may find out about by learning about the NCERT Class 7 Science chapter 2. NCERT Solutions serves as an important resource for mastering Chapter 2, Exploring Substances Acidic Basic and Neutral Class 7, and help you to enhance performance in exams. NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 are drafted to simplify complex concepts and enhance your understanding.

Download PDF of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2

Students can easily Download PDF of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2. These Class 7 Science Chapter 2 solutions PDF are prepared as per the latest syllabus and include accurate Class 7 Science Chapter 2 NCERT Solutions to help strengthen your understanding of the topic.

Download PDF

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 (Exercise Questions with Answer)

Given below NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 that help you master the concepts of acids, bases, and salts. This section also includes all NCERT Class 7 Science Chapter 2 questions and answers to help you revise effectively and score better in exams

Question 1: A solution turns the red litmus paper to blue. Excess addition
of which of the following solution would reverse the change?
(i) Lime water
(ii) Baking soda
(iii) Vinegar
(iv) Common salt solution

Answer:

A red litmus paper turns to blue in a basic solution. To reverse the change, an acidic solution will be required. Lime water and baking soda are basic solutions and will turn red litmus blue. Common salt is a salt, It wouldn't affect the color change of the litmus paper. Vinegar contains acetic acid, hence it will turn reverse the change, and will turn blue litmus red.

Question 2: You are provided with three unknown solutions labelled A, B, and C, but you do not know which of these are acidic, basic, or neutral. Upon adding a few drops of red litmus solution to solution A, it turns blue. When a few drops of turmeric solution are added to solution B, it turns red. Finally, after adding a few drops of red rose extract to solution C, it turns green.
Based on the observations, which of the following is the correct sequence for the nature of solutions A, B, and C?
(i) Acidic, acidic, and acidic
(ii) Neutral, basic, and basic
(iii) Basic, basic, and acidic
(iv) Basic, basic, and basic

Answer:

Solution A: The red litmus solution is turned to blue, that means solution A is acidic.

Solution B: Turmeric solutions turn red in basic solutions, so solution B is basic.

Solution C: Rose water extract is a natural pH indicator. It turns green in acidic solution. So, solution C is acidic.

So the correct sequence is acidic, basic, acidic.

Question 3: Observe and analyse Figs. 2.13, 2.14, and 2.15, in which red rose extract paper strips are used. Label the nature of solutions present in each of the containers.

1749669683473

Answer:

Rose water extract gives different colors in acidic and basic solutions.

pH condition

Color of Rose strip

Acidic

Bright red to pink

Neutral

Pink or no change in color

Basic

Green or blue-green

So, the solution in Figure 2.13 is basic, as it turns the rose water color strip green. Solution in Figure 2.12 is neutral, as we see no change in the strip color. Solution in Figure 2.15 is acidic, as it turns the strip to bright red.

Question 4:

A liquid sample from the laboratory was tested using various indicators:

Indicator

Red litmus

Blue litmus

Turmeric

Change

No change

Turned red

No change in colour

Based on the tests, identify the acidic or basic nature of the liquid and justify your answer.

Answer:

We know, that in presence of acidic solution, blue litmus turns red, and in presence of basic solution red litmus turns blue. Also, turmeric solution turns red in presence of basic solution, and no color change is observed in acidic and neutral solution. So from this we can deduce that, since the liquid sample gives no change in red litmus and turmeric, it is acidic in nature. This can be confirmed by the blue litmus turning to red. So the liquid sample is acidic in nature.

Question 5: Manya is blindfolded. She is given two unknown solutions to test and determine whether they are acidic or basic. Which indicator should Manya use to test the solutions and why?

Answer:

Manya could use an indicator like litmus paper, but since she is blindfolded she’ll use an olfactory indicator. One such indicator is onion. She can do the following steps to test the solutions:

  1. Take some finely chopped onions in a container, along with some strips of clean cotton cloth or filter paper.

  2. Tightly close the container and leave it overnight.

  3. Take two of the cotton cloth or filter paper strips from the container and check their odor. Keep them on a clean surface and put a few drops of the solution on the filter paper strips.

  4. Allow the drops to spread on the strips.

  5. Check the odor again.

So, in an acidic solution, the Onion smell remains, and in a basic solution, the Onion smell disappears. And therefore she can determine whether the solution is acidic or basic.

Question 6: Could you suggest various materials that can be used for writing the message on the white sheet of paper (given at the beginning of the chapter) and what could be in the spray bottle? Make a table of various possible combinations and the color of the writing obtained.

Answer

Writing Material (on Paper)

Spray Bottle Contents

Type of Reaction

Color of the Writing

Turmeric paste

Soap water (basic)

Turmeric turns red in base

Red / Reddish brown

Phenolphthalein solution

Soap water (basic)

Colorless to pink in base

Pink

Lemon juice (acidic)

Red cabbage extract

Acid turns extract red

Red / Pink

Soap solution (basic)

Red cabbage extract

Base turns extract green

Green / Blue-green

Baking soda solution (basic)

China rose (hibiscus) extract

Base turns extract green

Green

Vinegar (acidic)

China rose extract

Acid turns extract pink

Pink / Magenta

Sodium carbonate solution (basic)

Turmeric spray

Turmeric turns red

Red

Lemon juice (acidic)

Blue litmus solution

Acid turns blue litmus red

Red

Question 7: Grape juice was mixed with red rose extract; the mixture got a tint of red color. What will happen if baking soda is added to this mixture? Justify your answer.

Answer: When grape juice is mixed with red rose extract (a natural pH indicator), the resulting mixture shows a red tint, indicating that grape juice is acidic. Now, if you add baking soda (a basic substance) to this mixture, the solution will neutralize the acid in the mixture, and the solution will become basic. Now, the color of rose water extract will change to green, indicating the basicity of the solution.

Question 8: Keerthi wrote a secret message to her grandmother on her birthday using orange juice. Can you assist her grandmother in revealing the message? Which indicator would you use to make it visible?

Answer:
Keerthi used orange juice to write a secret message, which means she used mild acid as invisible ink. This kind of writing dries clear and becomes visible only under certain conditions. To make it visible, Keerthi’s grandmother can do any of the following steps:

  1. Gently heat the paper using a candle or bulb. The sugars in the orange juice will caramelize, turning brown, revealing the message.

Or

  1. She can use red cabbage juice. Since orange juice is acidic and red cabbage juice is an indicator, it may turn the writing pink/red.

Question 9: How can natural indicators be prepared? Explain by giving an example.

Answer:

Natural indicators are substances obtained from plants that can show a color change when added to acidic or basic solutions. These indicators help us identify whether a substance is an acid or a base using simple color reactions. Let’s try making your indicators using red flowers.

  • Collect some fallen petals of red roses available in your surroundings. It is advised not to pluck flowers. You may pick petals or flowers fallen on the ground.

  • Take a fistful of the collected petals of red roses and wash them with water.

  • Crush the petals using a mortar and pestle.

  • Place them in a glass tumbler.

  • Pour some hot water into the glass tumbler to ensure that the crushed flower petals are completely immersed.

  • Caution— Perform this step under the supervision of an adult.

  • Cover the glass tumbler with a lid. Wait for 5 – 10 minutes till the water becomes colored, and filter it.

  • The filtrate (liquid after filtration) is the required flower extract to be used as an acid-base indicator.

1749669684014

Question 10: Three liquids are given to you. One is vinegar, another is a baking soda solution, and the third is a sugar solution. Can you identify them only using turmeric paper? Explain.

Answer:

Liquid

Turmeric Paper Reaction

Conclusion

Vinegar (acidic)

Stays yellow

It is an acid

Baking soda solution (basic)

Turns reddish-brown

It is a base

Sugar solution (neutral)

Stays yellow

It is neutral

Question 11: The extract of red rose turns the liquid X to green. What will the nature of liquid X be? What will happen when excess of amla juice is added to liquid X?

Answer:

The extract of red rose turns liquid X green, which indicates that liquid X is basic. The red rose extract acts as a natural indicator that shows red or pink in acidic solutions and green in basic ones. Since the color turned green, it confirms that the solution is a base. When an excess amount of amla juice is added to liquid X, the acidic amla juice neutralizes the base. As more acid is added, the solution becomes less basic and eventually turns acidic. Due to this change in pH, the color of the mixture will gradually change from green back to red or pink, showing that the solution has now become acidic.

Question 12: Observe and analyze the information given in the following flowchart. Complete the missing information.

image%20(45)

Answer:

A garden with plants showing signs of poor health. There can be two possibilities for the poor health of plants. They can be:

  • The soil can be acidic.

  • The soil can be basic.

We can use an indicator to know the nature ofthe soil. Litmus paper (or red cabbage juice as an alternative natural indicator) can be used as an indicator. After using the indicator, we can fix the soil by adding acidic or basic substances as required. The acidic soil can be treated with slaked lime (calcium hydroxide). The basic soil can be treated with organic matter (like compost or manure).

Practice Questions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2

Try these Practice Questions for NCERT Class 7 Science chapter 2 to understand the chapter better and test your knowledge. All these are based on NCERT Class 7 Science Chapter 2 questions and answers to help you prepare well for exams.

Question: What are Indicators? Give the name of some natural indicators.

Answer:

Indicators are substances that shows change in colour when added in acidic or basic medium. They are used to detect whether the medium is acidic or basic.

Some examples of natural indicators are Litmus, tuemeric and china rose.

Question: What is neutralisation?

Answer:

It is a chemical reaction in which acids and basis reacts with each other to form salt and water.

Acid + Base Salt + Water

Question: Why do we apply baking soda on the stung area when an ant bites?

Answer:

Ant sting contains formic acid which causes pain. Baking soda is a base. It neutralises the acid and gives relief from pain.

Question: How turmeric effect on acidic and basic substance?

Answer:

Turmeric remains yellow in acid but turns reddish- brown in bases. That's why it is used as a natural indicator

Approach to Solve Questions of Class 7 Science Chapter 2 Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral

To understand and solve the questions from Chapter 2 Exploring Substances Acidic Basic and Neutral Class 7, focus on the approaches given below. Go through NCERT Class 7 Science Chapter 2 questions and answers thoroughly to strengthen your concepts and improve application skills.

1. Understand the fundamental concepts

Before solving questions,, it is very important to understand the key terms like Acids, Basis, neutral and indicator and Neutralisation of NCERT Class 7 Science chapter 2.

2. Learn how indicators change colours in acids and bases

It is very important to know what colour indicator show in acidic, basic and neutral medium because usually direct questions are asked from this topic.

3. Practice Neutralisation equations

Neutralisation equations are usually asked in exams. So it is very important to understand the reactions between acids and bases and learn how to correctly write these equations

Acid + Base Salt + Water

4. Link concepts with daily life

A lot of topics we usually experience around us are discussed in Chapter 2 Exploring Substances Acidic Basic and Neutral Class 7, for example using baking soda on ant bite, tarting ingestion with antacids, and adding lime to acidic soil. Relating these concepts to real-life situations helps in better understanding and remembering the chapter.

5. Practice questions

To understand concepts in better way it is very important to practice questions regularly. Refer questions provided in NCERT textbook and for better understanding you can also refer NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2

Topics In NCERT Solutions for Chapter 2: Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral

The NCERT Class 7 Science Chapter 2 introduces students to the nature of substances and how they react with each other. These concepts are explained clearly in the Class 7 Science Chapter 2 NCERT Solutions, helping students grasp the fundamentals concepts. Given below the list of topics covered in NCERT Class 7 Science Chapter 2.

1. Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral

  • Litmus as an indicator
  • Red rose as an indicator
  • Turmeric as an indicator

2. What Happens When Acidic Substances Mix with Basic Substances?

3. Neutralisation in Daily Life

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter-Wise

The chapterwise solutions are given below:

NCERT Books and NCERT Syllabus

The NCERT books and syllabus links for class 7 are given below:

Also Read

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How are acids and bases defined in NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 2 Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral

Acids are defined as substances that release hydrogen ion H+ when dissolved in water, generally having a sour taste and turning blue litmus paper red. Bases, on the other hand, release hydroxide ions OH in solution, usually having a bitter taste and turning red litmus paper blue.  

2. Why is it important to classify substances as acidic, basic, or neutral?

Understanding whether a substance is acidic, basic, or neutral helps us predict its behavior and how it will react with other substances. This knowledge is essential in everyday life (like cooking and cleaning) and in science (like conducting experiments).

3. Is it safe to taste any substance to check if it's an acid or a base?

Absolutely not! Many acids and bases are corrosive and can cause serious burns or other injuries. You should NEVER taste or touch an unknown substance.

4. What is the significance of the pH scale in Class 7 Science Chapter 2 NCERT Solutions?

The pH scale is crucial for determining the acidity or basicity of a solution. It ranges from 0 to 14, where a pH less than 7 indicates an acidic solution, a pH of 7 indicates a neutral solution, and a pH greater than 7 indicates a basic solution.  

5. What are indicators, and why are they important in identifying acids and bases?

Indicators are substances that change color in response to the acidity or basicity of a solution. They are important because they provide a visual way to determine whether a substance is acidic, basic, or neutral.

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A block of mass 0.50 kg is moving with a speed of 2.00 ms-1 on a smooth surface. It strikes another mass of 1.00 kg and then they move together as a single body. The energy loss during the collision is

Option 1)

0.34\; J

Option 2)

0.16\; J

Option 3)

1.00\; J

Option 4)

0.67\; J

A person trying to lose weight by burning fat lifts a mass of 10 kg upto a height of 1 m 1000 times.  Assume that the potential energy lost each time he lowers the mass is dissipated.  How much fat will he use up considering the work done only when the weight is lifted up ?  Fat supplies 3.8×107 J of energy per kg which is converted to mechanical energy with a 20% efficiency rate.  Take g = 9.8 ms−2 :

Option 1)

2.45×10−3 kg

Option 2)

 6.45×10−3 kg

Option 3)

 9.89×10−3 kg

Option 4)

12.89×10−3 kg

 

An athlete in the olympic games covers a distance of 100 m in 10 s. His kinetic energy can be estimated to be in the range

Option 1)

2,000 \; J - 5,000\; J

Option 2)

200 \, \, J - 500 \, \, J

Option 3)

2\times 10^{5}J-3\times 10^{5}J

Option 4)

20,000 \, \, J - 50,000 \, \, J

A particle is projected at 600   to the horizontal with a kinetic energy K. The kinetic energy at the highest point

Option 1)

K/2\,

Option 2)

\; K\;

Option 3)

zero\;

Option 4)

K/4

In the reaction,

2Al_{(s)}+6HCL_{(aq)}\rightarrow 2Al^{3+}\, _{(aq)}+6Cl^{-}\, _{(aq)}+3H_{2(g)}

Option 1)

11.2\, L\, H_{2(g)}  at STP  is produced for every mole HCL_{(aq)}  consumed

Option 2)

6L\, HCl_{(aq)}  is consumed for ever 3L\, H_{2(g)}      produced

Option 3)

33.6 L\, H_{2(g)} is produced regardless of temperature and pressure for every mole Al that reacts

Option 4)

67.2\, L\, H_{2(g)} at STP is produced for every mole Al that reacts .

How many moles of magnesium phosphate, Mg_{3}(PO_{4})_{2} will contain 0.25 mole of oxygen atoms?

Option 1)

0.02

Option 2)

3.125 × 10-2

Option 3)

1.25 × 10-2

Option 4)

2.5 × 10-2

If we consider that 1/6, in place of 1/12, mass of carbon atom is taken to be the relative atomic mass unit, the mass of one mole of a substance will

Option 1)

decrease twice

Option 2)

increase two fold

Option 3)

remain unchanged

Option 4)

be a function of the molecular mass of the substance.

With increase of temperature, which of these changes?

Option 1)

Molality

Option 2)

Weight fraction of solute

Option 3)

Fraction of solute present in water

Option 4)

Mole fraction.

Number of atoms in 558.5 gram Fe (at. wt.of Fe = 55.85 g mol-1) is

Option 1)

twice that in 60 g carbon

Option 2)

6.023 × 1022

Option 3)

half that in 8 g He

Option 4)

558.5 × 6.023 × 1023

A pulley of radius 2 m is rotated about its axis by a force F = (20t - 5t2) newton (where t is measured in seconds) applied tangentially. If the moment of inertia of the pulley about its axis of rotation is 10 kg m2 , the number of rotations made by the pulley before its direction of motion if reversed, is

Option 1)

less than 3

Option 2)

more than 3 but less than 6

Option 3)

more than 6 but less than 9

Option 4)

more than 9

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