Charles,
	100ml of 1 Normal HCl can be neutralized by 100 ml of 1 Normal NaOH,
NaHCO3 or KOH or 50ml of 1 Normal Ca(OH)2 or Na2CO3 (OR the same volumes if
the concentrations of Ca(OH)2 and Na2CO3 were 0.5N).  

	In the old days, "Normality" was taught in elementary chemistry in
the context of a subject called "Acid-Base Equivalents" which was all about
neutralizing one with the other.  1 mole of HCl was equivalent to 1 mole of
NaOH or half a mole of Ca(OH)2.  Normality became confusing when one tried
to explain what a 1N solution of NaCl was (some folks were talking about
Normality and others were talking about physiology.

	Allen Smith certainly remembers this as well.  He was answering your
question, I am addressing the root cause of it.  I think the chemists got
tired of trying to explain equivalents to biologists, so elementary chem
doesn't contest with the subject any more.

Hope this helps,

Fred Monson

Frederick C. Monson, PhD
Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging
Mail to Geology
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Schmucker II Science Center, Room SS024
South Church Street and Rosedale Avenue
West Chester, PA, 19383
Phone:  610-738-0437
eMail:  fmonson@wcupa.edu
An FEI (Quanta 400 and Technai 12), 
Oxford INCA Energy 400, and 
Olympus FV-300 Shop.
  

-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Read [mailto:csu15397@mail.claytonstate.net]
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2003 3:36 PM
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: HCl Question....


Hello!  While reading through the  Fisher Sci. chemical catalog I noticed
that in the Hydrochloric Acid section there were many types of HCl, but the
only difference was one was labeled 0.5N, another labeled 1N and some were
labeled 2N, what does this refer to?  How does it change it's use?  Thanks
guys!