Weak bases react with water to produce strong base?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the properties of weak bases and their reactions with water, particularly focusing on whether weak bases can produce strong bases in solution. Participants explore definitions of bases and the implications of hydroxide ions (OH-) in this context.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether the statement that weak bases produce a small amount of a strong base is accurate, specifically asking if OH- is considered a strong base.
  • Another participant provides definitions of a base, including the production of OH- in water, proton acceptance, and electron donation.
  • There is a repeated inquiry about whether OH- can be considered a base and if a stronger base can exist in the presence of excess water.
  • A participant introduces the concept of the leveling effect, suggesting that in the presence of water, there cannot be a stronger base than OH-.
  • Another participant reiterates the leveling effect, indicating it applies generally to solvents beyond just water.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express uncertainty regarding the strength of bases and the implications of the leveling effect, indicating that multiple competing views remain without a clear consensus.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions about the definitions of bases and the conditions under which certain bases can be considered stronger than others, particularly in relation to solvent effects.

KevinFan
Messages
47
Reaction score
0
Please post this type of questions in the HW section using the template and showing your work.
Which of the following statements about weak acids and weak bases are false?
(i) The strength of a weak acid decreases as itspKa
decreases.
(ii) Weak bases react with water to produce a small amount of a strong base.
(iii) The strength of a base decreases as the strength of its conjugate acid increases.
A)ii, iii
B)i
C)i, ii
D)ii
E)i,iii

The correct answer is B but I don't quite understand the second statement. Is OH- alone considered as a strong base?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
What definitions of a base do you know?
 
Borek said:
What definitions of a base do you know?
A base produces oh- in water or it's a proton acceptor or an electron donor
 
So is OH- a base?

And if so, in the presence of excess water, can there exist a stronger one?
 
Borek said:
So is OH- a base?

And if so, in the presence of excess water, can there exist a stronger one?

If oh- is a base then in the presence of water, there cannot be a stronger base than oh-... right?
 
Exactly. It is called a leveling effect (and is not limited to water, it is a general property of solvents - just replace OH- with the basic form of the solvent).
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: KevinFan
Borek said:
Exactly. It is called a leveling effect (and is not limited to water, it is a general property of solvents - just replace OH- with the basic form of the solvent).
Thank you for your response
 

Similar threads

Chemistry Are there typos in this snippet causing confusion?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Chemistry Is pH of strong acid strong base titration always 7 at stoichiometric point?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Chemistry Book seems to say that we can have weak acid and weak conjugate base
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Chemistry Understanding how to calculate pH of a buffer solution
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Chemistry How to take into account autoprotolysis in weak base solution?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Chemistry How to calculate pH at equivalence point using this alternative?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Determining Solubility in Acidic Solutions / Pure Water
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Chemistry Comparing methods of computing pH at equivalence point in titration
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Which of the following combinations would act as buffered solutions
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
5K
Should You Pour Acids and Bases Over a Sink in a Lab?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K