Acid, Bases, and Buffers Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts on acids, bases, buffers, pH scale concentration changes, and blood alkalosis.

Acid

A substance that releases or produces hydrogen ions ($H^+$) when dissolved in water and falls below 7 on the pH scale.

Base

A substance that releases or produces hydroxide ions ($OH^-$) when dissolved in water.

Buffer

A substance that keeps the pH constant despite the addition of more $H^+$ and $OH^-$ ions.

Neutral Substance

A substance with a pH equal to 7, such as pure water.

pH Scale Unit Change

A change of one unit on the pH scale (e.g., 5 to 4) that represents a 10-fold change in $H^+$ ion concentration.

pH 6 vs. pH 9 $H^+$ Concentration

A solution with a pH of 6 that has 1000 times as many $H^+$ ions as a solution with a pH of 9.

Alkalosis

A condition where blood becomes too basic, threatening to rise to a pH of more than 7.4, triggering a chemical buffering reaction.