Acid
A substance that ionizes in water to produce H+ ions.
Base
A soluble substance that produces OH- ions in water.
Bronsted-Lowry Acid
A substance that donates a proton (H+) in a chemical reaction.
Bronsted-Lowry Base
A substance that accepts a proton (H+) in a chemical reaction.
Conjugate Acid/Base Pair
Two species that differ by a single proton.
Indicators
Substances used to determine the pH of a solution based on color changes.
Neutralization
A chemical reaction between an acid and a base that produces a salt and water.
Acids & Metals
A reaction between an acid and a metal that produces a salt and hydrogen gas.
Acids & Carbonates/Hydrogen carbonates
A reaction between an acid and a carbonate/hydrogen carbonate that produces a salt, carbon dioxide, and water.
pH scale
A scale used to measure the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.
Strong Acids
Acids that fully dissociate into ions in water.
Weak Acids
Acids that only partially dissociate into ions in water.
Strong Bases
Bases that fully dissociate into ions in water.
Weak Bases
Bases that only partially dissociate into ions in water.
Rain Water
Water that naturally has a pH of 7 but becomes acidic due to dissolved CO2.
Acid Rain
Rainwater with a pH less than 5.0, caused by pollutants such as SO2 and NOx.
Pre-combustion method
A method to reduce sulfur in coal before combustion.
Post-combustion method
Methods to capture pollutants after combustion, such as SO2 and NOx.