Weak bases react with water to produce strong base?

[KevinFan]

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?

 

[Borek]

What definitions of a base do you know?

 

[KevinFan]

What definitions of a base do you know?

A base produces oh- in water or it's a proton acceptor or an electron donor

 

[Borek]

So is OH^- a base?

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

 

[KevinFan]

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?

 

[Borek]

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).

 

[KevinFan]

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