Unit 4: Acids, Bases, & Electrochemistry

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in acids, bases, and electrochemistry from Unit 4.

Acid Strength

The degree to which an acid can donate protons (H+) in solution.

Strong Acid

An acid that completely dissociates in solution, releasing all of its protons.

Weak Acid

An acid that does not completely dissociate in solution and retains some of its protons.

Binary Acids

Acids that consist of two elements, typically hydrogen and a halogen.

Oxyacids

Acids that contain oxygen, hydrogen, and another element, where strength depends on the number of oxygen atoms.

Buffer

A solution that resists changes in pH upon the addition of small amounts of acids or bases.

Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

pH = pKa + log([Base]/[Acid]); a formula used to calculate the pH of buffer solutions.

Half-Equivalence Point

The point in a titration at which half of the acid has been neutralized, where pH = pKa.

Equivalence Point

The point in a titration at which the amount of acid equals the amount of base, resulting in a neutral solution.

Salt Hydrolysis

The reaction between the ions of a salt with water, leading to a change in pH.

Galvanic Cell

A type of electrochemical cell that generates electrical energy through spontaneous reactions.

Electrolytic Cell

A type of electrochemical cell that uses electrical energy to drive non-spontaneous reactions.

Nernst Equation

An equation that relates the voltage of a cell to the concentration of the reactants and products.

Oxidation

The process of losing electrons, which occurs at the anode in electrochemical cells.

Reduction

The process of gaining electrons, which occurs at the cathode in electrochemical cells.