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Prone17
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Can anyone explain to me how to determine whether a compound is a strong acid, weak acid, strong base, weak base, or amphoteric? Thanks!
The only stong bases I know of are readily soluble strong electrolytes which are salts of hydroxide ions.
A strong acid is a substance that completely dissociates or breaks apart into ions when in aqueous solution. This means that nearly all of the acid molecules will react with water to form H+ ions. In contrast, a weak acid only partially dissociates in water, meaning that only a small portion of the acid molecules will form H+ ions.
The strength of an acid can be determined by its dissociation constant (Ka). A strong acid will have a very large Ka value, while a weak acid will have a smaller Ka value. Additionally, the more polar a molecule is, the more likely it is to be a strong acid.
Some common examples of strong acids include hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and nitric acid (HNO3). Weak acids include acetic acid (CH3COOH), citric acid (H3C6H5O7), and formic acid (HCOOH).
The strength of an acid directly affects its pH. Strong acids have a low pH, typically around 1 or 2, because they produce a high concentration of H+ ions in solution. Weak acids have a higher pH, usually between 3-6, because they produce a lower concentration of H+ ions.
Similar to acids, a strong base is one that completely dissociates in water to form OH- ions. A weak base only partially dissociates, resulting in a lower concentration of OH- ions in solution. Strong bases include sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH), while weak bases include ammonia (NH3) and magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2).