Acids, Bases, Ka, Kw Flashcards
What is a Brønsted acid?
A Brønsted acid is a species that can donate a proton.
For example, hydrogen chloride (HCl) is a Brønsted acid as it can lose a proton to form a hydrogen (H+) and chloride (Cl-) ion
What is a Brønsted base?
A Brønsted base is a species that can accept a proton.
For example, a hydroxide (OH-) ion is a Brønsted base as it can accept a proton to form water
How can a hydroxide ion act as a base?
OH- (aq) + H+ (aq) → H2O (l)
What happens in an equilibrium reaction?
In an equilibrium reaction, the products are formed at the same rate as the reactants are used.
At equilibrium, what is present in the solution?
At equilibrium, both reactants and products are present in the solution.
What species are present when ethanoic acid (CH3COOH) is at equilibrium after partially dissociating in solution?
CH3COOH (aq) + H2O (l) ⇌ CH3COO- (aq) + H3O+ (aq)
What is a conjugate acid-base pair?
A conjugate acid-base pair is two species that are different from each other by an H+ ion
What is a monobasic acid?
Acids, such as HCl, that contain one ionisable hydrogen atom in each molecule are called monobasic acids.
When HCl reacts with NaOH we can see that one hydrogen is replaced by a sodium atom
HCl (aq) + NaOH (aq) → NaCl (aq) + H2O (aq)
What is a dibasic acid?
Dibasic acids contain two ionisable hydrogen atoms per molecule, for example H2SO4.
Ionisation of such acids occurs in two steps.
When H2SO4 reacts with NaOH we can see that two hydrogens are replaced by two sodium atoms
H2SO4 (aq) + 2NaOH (aq) → Na2SO4 (aq) + 2H2O (aq)
What are tribasic acids?
Tribasic acids contain three ionisable hydrogen atoms per molecule, for example H3PO4.
Ionisation of such acids occurs in three steps.
When H3PO4 reacts with NaOH we can see that three hydrogens are replaced by three sodium atoms
H3PO4 (aq) + 3NaOH (aq) → Na3PO4 (aq) + 3H2O (aq)
Ionic equation for acid + alkali
H+ (aq) + OH- (aq) → H2O (l)
What is a weak acid?
A weak acid is an acid that partially dissociates in aqueous solutions
Why is position of equilibrium more over to the left in weak acid dissociation?
The weak acid only slightly dissociates, therefore there are more molecules of weak acid than H+ and A- ions.
What is Ka?
Ka is an equilibrium constant called the acid dissociation constant.
The higher the Ka, the more the acid dissociates.
What does a large Ka value show?
The acid is strong
What does a small Ka value show?
The acid is weak
Define what is meant by ‘strength’ of an acid
Strength is the extent of dissociation of an acid.
It is measured as Ka.
What is pKa and why is it used?
The range of values of Ka is very large and for weak acids, the values themselves are very small numbers
For this reason it is easier to work with another term called pKa.
pKa = -logKa
What does the acidity of a solution depend on?
The acidity of an aqueous solution depends on the number of H+ (H3O+) ions in solution.