In basic acid–base chemistry, which of the following statements about the taste and ion formation of acids and bases in aqueous solution are correct?

Introduction / Context:
Acids and bases are central concepts in chemistry, and students must know their characteristic tastes and the ions they produce in aqueous solution. Many exam questions present several statements and ask which are correct based on the Arrhenius definition of acids and bases. This question gives three statements about acids and bases and tests your ability to identify which ones are consistent with standard theory and basic laboratory observations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Statement I: Acids are sour in taste and generate H plus ions in aqueous solution.
• Statement II: Acids are sour in taste and generate OH minus ions in aqueous solution.
• Statement III: Bases are bitter in taste and generate OH minus ions in aqueous solution.
• We assume the Arrhenius definition and simple indicator tests in water.

Concept / Approach:
According to the Arrhenius concept, an acid is a substance that increases the concentration of hydrogen ions, often written as H plus, in aqueous solution. A base is a substance that increases the concentration of hydroxide ions, OH minus, in aqueous solution. At the school level, it is also commonly taught that acids have sour taste and bases are bitter and soapy to touch, though direct tasting is not recommended in practice. Using these ideas, we need to check each statement carefully and decide which ones correctly describe acids and bases.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine statement I: it says acids are sour and generate H plus ions. This matches the Arrhenius definition and the usual description of acids, so statement I is correct. Step 2: Examine statement II: it also says acids are sour but claims they generate OH minus ions. This is incorrect because OH minus ions are associated with bases, not acids. Step 3: Examine statement III: it says bases are bitter in taste and generate OH minus ions. This agrees with common teaching about bases, so statement III is correct. Step 4: Combine the analysis and note that only statements I and III are correct. Step 5: Choose the option that states only statements I and III are correct.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can confirm this by recalling common examples. Hydrochloric acid and citric acid are sour and produce H plus ions in water. Sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide produce OH minus ions and feel soapy, while substances like baking soda solution taste basic, not sour. No acid is defined in the Arrhenius sense by producing OH minus ions. Therefore, any statement that assigns OH minus ion generation to acids must be wrong. This check confirms that statements I and III, but not II, fit accepted definitions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B includes statement II, which incorrectly links acids with OH minus ions, so it cannot be correct. Option C relies on statements II and III, but statement II is already known to be false. Option D claims that all three statements are correct, which is clearly not possible because statement II contradicts the standard definition of acids. Only option A correctly selects statements I and III as true while excluding the incorrect statement II.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to focus only on the taste description and overlook the ionic part of the statements. Another pitfall is mixing up Arrhenius definitions and thinking both acids and bases can generate OH minus ions, which is not correct. Students may also rush through multi statement questions and mark the choice containing the most statements without checking each one carefully. To avoid these errors, always analyze each statement separately and compare it with the precise definitions of acids and bases.

Final Answer:
The correct combination is that only statements I and III are correct for describing acids and bases in aqueous solution.