Properties of Water, Acids, Bases, and pH Buffers

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on lecture slides covering the properties of water, acids, bases, pH values, and chemical buffers.

Heat of Vaporization

The property of water where heat is dispelled as water evaporates from a surface or organism.

Cohesion of Water

The attraction between water molecules that allows forward flow inside water transport vessels and blood vessels.

Adhesion of Water

The attraction of water molecules to vessel walls that helps prevent backward flow in transport vessels.

Varying Density of Water

The unique property where water expands as it freezes, making ice less dense than liquid water so that ice floats and acts as an insulator to make life possible in water.

Water Dissociation

The process in which water breaks apart into an equal number of hydrogen ions ($H^+$) and hydroxide ions ($OH^-$).

Acidic Solution

A solution with a high hydrogen ion ($H^+$) concentration containing acids that release hydrogen ions or take up hydroxide ions ($OH^-$), such as lemon juice, vinegar, and coffee.

Basic Solution

A solution with a low hydrogen ion ($H^+$) concentration containing bases that either take up hydrogen ions or release hydroxide ions ($OH^-$), such as milk of magnesia and ammonia.

pH Scale

A mathematical scale ranging from $0$ to $14$ used to indicate the number of hydrogen ions in a solution, where values below $7$ are acidic, above $7$ are basic, and $7$ is neutral.

Neutral pH

A pH value of $7$ where the concentration of hydrogen ions equals hydroxide ions ($[H^+] = [OH^-]$), represented by pure water, tears, and saliva.

Buffer

A chemical or combination of chemicals that keeps pH within normal limits by resisting pH change through taking up excess ions.

Blood pH Range

The normal physiological pH level of human blood, maintained by buffers at approximately $7.35\text{ to }7.45$.

Acidosis

A potentially fatal medical condition occurring when the body cannot buffer extra ions, often resulting from diseases like congestive heart failure and diabetes.