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Acids are divided into two categories based on the ease with which they can
donate protons to the solvent: i) strong acids and ii) weak acids
Strong acids are acids that completely dissociate in water. The reaction of an
acid with its solvent (typically H2O) is called an acid dissociation reaction.
Strong acids, such as HNO3, almost completely transfer their protons to the
solvent molecules:
HNO3(aq) + H2O(l) H3O+(aq) + NO3(aq)
In this reaction H2O serves as the base. The hydronium ion, H3O+, is the
conjugate acid of H2O, and the nitrate ion is the conjugate base of HNO3. It is
the hydronium ion H3O+ that is the acidic species in solution, and its
concentration determines the acidity of the resulting solution.
The common strong acids in aqueous solutions are given in Table I.1:
Weak acids are acids that dissociate partially in water. The extent of
dissociation is given by the equilibrium constant.
Note:
Table I.2 below gives the ka and pka values for a number of commonlyencountered weak acids (25 C).
Compound
Acetic acid (CH3COOH)
Adipic acid
(CH2)4(COOH)2
Benzoic acid
ka
pka
1.76 x 10
3.71 x 10
-5
-5
4.75
Step 1
4.43
4.41
6.46 x 10-5
4.19
(C6H5COOH)
Carbonic acid (H2CO3)
4.3 x 10-7
6.37
5.61 x 10-11
10.25
-3
2.85
1.8 x 10-1
0.74
6.49
3.2 x 10-7
1.77 x 10-4 (20 C)
Chloroacetic acid
(ClCH2CO2H)
1.4 x 10
3.75
-10
9.31
3.53 x 10
-4
3.45
Hypobromous acid
(HBrO)
2.06 x 10
-9
8.69
Hypochlorous acid
(HClO)
2.95 x 10-8
7.53
2.3 x 10-11
10.64
Periodic acid
Phenol (C6H5OH)
o-Phosphoric acid
(H3PO4)
4.93 x 10
1.69 x 10
-1
0.77
1.42 x 10
-2
1.83
8.57 x 10-7
4.6 x 10-4 (12,5 C)
6.07
3.37
-2
1.23
6.40 x 10-5
4.19
5.90 x 10
-2
1.64
-10
9.89
-3
2.12
6.23 x 10-8
7.21
2.3 x 10
1.28 x 10
7.52 x 10
Table I.2: The ka and pka values for a number of commonlyencountered weak acids
Simirarly, strong bases, such as NaOH, are bases that completely dissociate in
water to produce hydroxyl ion OH-:
When 0.1M NaOH dissolves in H2O dissociates to 0.1M Na+ and 0.1M OH-.
The common strong bases in aqueous solutions are given in Table I.3:
For more info on strong acids and bases and acid-base equilibria
please see the following links:
Strong acid and bases - Weak acid and bases - Dissociation constants and
pK's
pH of strong acids - Examples
Ionic Equilibrium - Strong Acids and Bases A general relation for the pH of a
strong acid.
Weak Acids and Bases Calculate the pH of a weak acid (a general equation)