LessonsforSchool
  • Home
  • Tips and Tricks Blog
  • Science
    • Biology
      • Natural Selection
    • Chemistry
      • Balancing Chemical Equations
      • Covalent Bonds
      • Energy Diagrams
      • Excited Electrons
      • Flame Test
      • Fusion and Fission
      • Half-Life
      • Heat Transfer
      • Intermolecular Forces
      • Ionic Bonds
      • Isotopes
      • Lewis Dot Structures
      • Matter (Part 1)
      • Matter (Part 2)
      • Organic Chemistry
      • Periodic Table (Part 1)
      • Periodic Table (Part 2)
      • Physical Changes and Chemical Reactions
      • Radioactive Decay
      • Solutions and Separation Methods
      • The Atom
      • What is Chemistry?
    • General Science Topics
      • CER
      • Good Research
      • Graphing
      • Lab Equipment
      • Lab Safety
      • Models
      • Scientific Method
    • Labs
    • Veterinary Science
      • Canine
      • Feline
      • Introduction to Veterinary Science
      • Terminology
  • Resources
  • Feedback
  • Copyright and Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Tips and Tricks Blog
  • Science
    • Biology
      • Natural Selection
    • Chemistry
      • Balancing Chemical Equations
      • Covalent Bonds
      • Energy Diagrams
      • Excited Electrons
      • Flame Test
      • Fusion and Fission
      • Half-Life
      • Heat Transfer
      • Intermolecular Forces
      • Ionic Bonds
      • Isotopes
      • Lewis Dot Structures
      • Matter (Part 1)
      • Matter (Part 2)
      • Organic Chemistry
      • Periodic Table (Part 1)
      • Periodic Table (Part 2)
      • Physical Changes and Chemical Reactions
      • Radioactive Decay
      • Solutions and Separation Methods
      • The Atom
      • What is Chemistry?
    • General Science Topics
      • CER
      • Good Research
      • Graphing
      • Lab Equipment
      • Lab Safety
      • Models
      • Scientific Method
    • Labs
    • Veterinary Science
      • Canine
      • Feline
      • Introduction to Veterinary Science
      • Terminology
  • Resources
  • Feedback
  • Copyright and Privacy Policy

Unit 12: Acids and Bases
12.5: Strong and Weak Acids/Bases

Self-Ionization of Water

Self-Ionization of Water: Water can act as both an acid and base in an ionization reaction. Water molecules will spontaneously split apart into H+ and OH- ions in liquid water
  • Ion: atoms with either a + or – charge
    • H+ ions cause solutions to be acidic
    • OH- ions cause solutions to be basic
Picture
Cdang, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

"Strong" and "Weak" 
Acids and Bases

A strong acid or base is one that dissociates completely when placed in water whereas a weak acid or base is one that does NOT completely dissociate when placed in water.
  • This is why strong acids are much more likely to cause burns compared with a weak acid.
  • The burns associated with acids are the results of the H+ ions, not the undissociated form of the acid.
  • The HCl molecules itself is not dangerous, the high quantity of H+ ions created by HCl is the dangerous part.

Acid/Base Dissociation Constant

While it is nice to categorize acids as strong or weak, we need a more specific way to compare the strengths of acids and bases because it is not very accurate. For example, this is like saying there is a professional baseball player and a non-professional baseball player. Obviously, there is a wide range of skill levels among non-professionals. The same goes for acids and bases. To be more accurate, we use the acid/base dissociation constants. Watch the following video to learn more.
https://youtu.be/7C_HsfB_6PQ
Picture
Copyright © August 2020 Melissa Wells
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Tips and Tricks Blog
  • Science
    • Biology
      • Natural Selection
    • Chemistry
      • Balancing Chemical Equations
      • Covalent Bonds
      • Energy Diagrams
      • Excited Electrons
      • Flame Test
      • Fusion and Fission
      • Half-Life
      • Heat Transfer
      • Intermolecular Forces
      • Ionic Bonds
      • Isotopes
      • Lewis Dot Structures
      • Matter (Part 1)
      • Matter (Part 2)
      • Organic Chemistry
      • Periodic Table (Part 1)
      • Periodic Table (Part 2)
      • Physical Changes and Chemical Reactions
      • Radioactive Decay
      • Solutions and Separation Methods
      • The Atom
      • What is Chemistry?
    • General Science Topics
      • CER
      • Good Research
      • Graphing
      • Lab Equipment
      • Lab Safety
      • Models
      • Scientific Method
    • Labs
    • Veterinary Science
      • Canine
      • Feline
      • Introduction to Veterinary Science
      • Terminology
  • Resources
  • Feedback
  • Copyright and Privacy Policy