Acid-Base Strength and Equilibrium Flashcards
How is the strength of an acid or base determined?
The strength of an acid or base is determined by its ability to donate or accept protons in a solution. The strength of an acid or base is determined by the extent to which it ionizes when dissolved in water.
Discuss the concept of equilibrium constant (Ka or Kb) in acid-base reactions.
The acid dissociation constant (Ka) is a quantitative measure of the strength of an acid in solution while the base dissociation constant (Kb) is a measure of basicity, the base’s general strength.
Explain the difference in the strength of a monoprotic acid and a polyprotic acid
Monoprotic acids like HCI and HBr contain just one hydrogen ion. Polyprotic acids like H2, SO4, and H3PO4 contain two or three hydrogen ions.
How does the pH affect the equilibrium of an acid-base reaction?
Increasing the pH will increase the number of OH- ions which will use up the H3O+ ions this will shift the equilibrium to the right. Decreasing the pH will increase the number of H3O+ ions this will increase H30+ ions on the product side, therefore shifting the equilibrium to the left.
Discuss the role of conjugate acid-base pairs in acid-base reactions.
In the Bronsted Lowry definition of acid and bases, a conjugate acid-base pair consists of two substances that differ only by the presence of a proton (H+). A conjugate acid is formed when a proton is added to a base, and a conjugate base is formed when a proton is removed from an acid.
