Answer to Question #172197 in General Chemistry for Jean Michaela Cabanilla

Question

a strong acid is a corrosive substance that can cause skin burns. if a strong acid is accidentally spilled on your arm, would you wash it with a strong base to neutralize the acid? justufy your answer.

Answer 1

No, this cannot be done. This is primarily due to the fact that the reaction of neutralizing a strong acid with an alkali is a highly exothermic process. Consequently, in addition to a chemical burn of the skin, a thermal burn can also be added.