Strong Acids and Weak Acids

Question 1

What do acids produce when they ionize in aqueous solution?

Answer 1

Hydrogen ions, H⁺

Acids release H⁺ ions when they meet water

Question 2

Give an example of a strong acid.

Answer 2

Sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid

Strong acids completely ionize in water

Question 3

What characterizes weak acids?

Answer 3

They do not fully ionize in solution

Only a small proportion of acid particles dissociate to release H⁺ ions

Question 4

What type of reaction occurs when a weak acid ionizes?

Answer 4

Reversible reaction

Sets up an equilibrium between undissociated and dissociated acid

Question 5

What happens to the position of equilibrium for weak acids?

Answer 5

It lies well to the left

This indicates that only a few acid particles release H⁺ ions

Question 6

What is pH a measure of?

Answer 6

The concentration of H⁺ ions in the solution

pH indicates acidity or alkalinity

Question 7

How does the concentration of H⁺ ions change with a decrease of 1 on the pH scale?

Answer 7

Increases by a factor of 10

A pH of 4 has 10 times the concentration of H⁺ ions as a pH of 5

Question 8

What is the general rule for the factor by which H⁺ ion concentration changes?

Answer 8

10^X

X is the difference in pH

Question 9

How does the pH of a strong acid compare to a weak acid with the same concentration?

Answer 9

The pH of a strong acid is always less

The H⁺ ion concentration is higher in strong acids

Question 10

What is the difference between acid strength and acid concentration?

Answer 10

Strength indicates the proportion that ionizes; concentration measures the amount in a volume of water

Acid concentration is about how watered down the acid is

Question 11

Can you have a dilute strong acid?

Answer 11

Yes

A strong acid can be diluted, meaning it’s not very concentrated

Question 12

What happens to pH with increasing acid concentration?

Answer 12

pH will decrease

This applies to both strong and weak acids