acids and basis

Question 1

define what an acid is

Answer 1

acids are molecules which can donate a proton (H+ ion)

Question 2

define what a base is

Answer 2

a base is a molecule that can accept a proton

Question 3

how is the strength of an acid determined and measured

Answer 3

the strength of an acid depends on how readily it will donate a proton, this is measured by the acid dissociation constant Ka

Question 4

what is pH the measure of and give the equation used to find it

Answer 4

pH is the measurement of the amount of protons in a solution

pH = -log10[H+]

Question 5

what does a change of 1 pH mean for the H+ conc. of the solution

Answer 5

change in 1 pH = change tenfold in [H+]

Question 6

explain what a zwitterion is

Answer 6

a zwitterion is an amino acid without charged side groups, in a neutral solution (no net charge)

Question 7

what are the acid/base properties of proteins and how pH affects proteins

Answer 7

the ends of proteins can be ionised(converted to ions), as well as several amino acid side chains
proteins can act as buffers
a change in pH can cause changes in structure and therefore function