Aqueous Solutions and Buffers

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to aqueous solutions, buffers, and acid-base interactions.

Buffer

Solutions that do not exhibit large changes in pH upon addition of acid or base.

Weak Acid

An acid that partially ionizes in solution, establishing an equilibrium between the acid and its conjugate base.

Conjugate Base

The species that remains after an acid has donated a proton.

Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

An equation used to calculate the pH of a buffer solution, expressed as pH = pKa + log [base]/[acid].

pKa

The negative logarithm of the acid dissociation constant (Ka), a measure of the strength of an acid.

Ka

The acid dissociation constant, which quantifies the strength of an acid in solution.

Le Chatelier's Principle

A principle stating that a system at equilibrium will adjust to counter changes in concentration, temperature, or pressure.

Titration

A technique to determine the concentration of a solute in a solution by adding a titrant of known concentration until the reaction reaches equivalence.

Ksp

The solubility product constant, which represents the equilibrium between a solid and its ions in a saturated solution.

Common Ion Effect

The decrease in solubility of an ionic compound due to the presence of a common ion.

Coral Bleaching

The loss of symbiotic algae from coral due to stress, leading to the coral turning white and becoming vulnerable.

Buffer Range

The pH range over which a buffer effectively resists changes in pH.