Acids are proton donors as they ionise in solution producing protons, which are H+ ions
These H+ ions make the aqueous solution acidic
Bases are proton acceptors as they accept the protons which are donated by the acid

Acids can be either strong or weak, depending on how many H+ ions they produce when dissolved in water
Strong acids completely dissociate (or ionise) in water, producing solutions of a very low pH
Strong acids include HCl and H2SO4
Example of a strong acid: hydrochloric acid

HCl (aq) → H+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

Weak acids partially dissociate (or ionise) in water and produce pH values which are closer to the middle of the pH scale, whilst still being below 7
For weak acids, there is usually an equilibrium set-up between the molecules and their ions once they have been added to water
Example of a weak acid: propanoic acid

CH3CH2COOH ⇌ H+ + CH3CH2COO-

The equilibrium lies to the left, indicating a high concentration of intact acid molecules, with a low concentration of H+ ions in the solution
Another example of a weak acid is ethanoic acid which will react with alkalis such as sodium hydroxide to form ethanoate salts

ethanoic acid + sodium hydroxide → sodium ethanoate + water

CH3COOH + NaOH → CH3COONa + H2O

A concentrated solution of an acid is one that contains a higher number of acid molecules per dm3 of solution
It does not necessarily mean that the acid is strong though, as it may be made from a weak acid which does not dissociate completely
For example a dilute solution of HCl will be more acidic than a concentrated solution of ethanoic acid, since most of the HCl molecules dissociate but very few of the CH3COOH do

2 comments

Comments (2)

Nov 25, 2024

How does the pH of a solution differ when a strong acid is dissolved in water versus a weak acid?
What is the role of the acid dissociation constant (Ka) in determining the strength of an acid?
How do strong and weak acids affect the conductivity of a solution?
What are the implications of using strong acids versus weak acids in chemical reactions?
How can you experimentally determine whether an acid is strong or weak?
What are the safety considerations when handling strong acids compared to weak acids?
How do strong and weak acids impact biological systems and processes?

Nov 28, 2024

Replying to

Lower PH Value.
Explanation: The higher the Ka value, the more the acid dissociates and the stronger the acid. This means that strong acids dissociate more in water, and are more likely to release hydrogen ions. Weak acids, on the other hand, are less likely to ionize and release hydrogen ions, resulting in a less acidic solution.
Strong acids have a greater electrical conductivity than weak acids because they dissociate completely into ions, creating a higher concentration of ions in the solution.
A strong acid is the one that completely ionizes in a solution whereas, a weak acid only partially ionizes. Strong acids are corrosive in nature and cause severe burns when they come in contact with skin.13 Nov 2019
Perform a titration: A titration curve is a graph of the pH of an acid against the volume of a strong base added to it. The pH at the equivalence point of a strong acid and a strong base is always 7.0.
Always wear chemical splash goggles, chemical-resistant gloves and a chemical-resistant apron whenever using concentrated acids or acid solutions. Please review current Safety Data Sheets for additional safety, handling and disposal information. Purchase dilute acids whenever possible.
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