Question 9 - MCQs from NCERT Exemplar - Chapter 2 Class 10 - Acids, Bases and Salts

If a few drops of a concentrated acid accidentally spills over the hand of a student, what should be done?

(A) Wash the hand with saline solution

(B) Wash the hand immediately with plenty of water and apply a paste of sodium hydrogen carbonate

(C) After washing with plenty of water apply solution of sodium hydroxide on the hand

(D) Neutralise the acid with a strong alkali

Answer

In order to avoid burning caused by concentrated acid, 

• we wash the hand immediately with plenty of water 
• and then, in order to neutralize the acid , we apply a paste sodium hydrogen carbonate

Here

• Water will dilute the acid and wash it out.
• And the diluted acid will be neutralised by a weak base like sodium hydrogen carbonate

We don’t use a strong base like sodium hydroxide because Strong Acid + Strong Base is a highly exothermic reaction and will cause further burns.

So, the correct answer is (b)