ACIDS AND BASES

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the 'Acids and Bases' lecture, including definitions of Arrhenius and Bronsted-Lowry acids/bases, strong/weak acids/bases, equilibrium, Le Chatelier's Principle, pH scale, and buffers.

Arrhenius Acid

A substance that produces hydrogen ions (H+) when dissolved in water.

H+ (hydrogen ion)

Considered equivalent to a proton; an H atom with no electron, giving it a positive charge.

Common Arrhenius Acids

Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), Nitric Acid (HNO3), Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4), Acetic Acid (CH3COOH).

Arrhenius Base

A substance that produces hydroxide ions (OH-) when dissolved in water.

Common Arrhenius Bases

Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), Potassium Hydroxide (KOH), Ammonia (NH3).

Bronsted-Lowry Acid

A substance that donates a proton (hydrogen ion, H+) in a chemical reaction.

Bronsted-Lowry Base

A substance that accepts a proton in a chemical reaction.

Proton Transfer

The process involved in reactions between acids and bases according to the Bronsted-Lowry definition.

Conjugate Acid-Base Pair

Molecules or ions related by the loss or gain of one H+.

Conjugate Acid

Formed when a Bronsted-Lowry base accepts a proton; has one more H+ than its conjugate base.

Conjugate Base

Formed when a Bronsted-Lowry acid donates a proton; has one less H+ than its conjugate acid.

Hydronium Ion (H3O+)

Formed when a proton (H+) bonds to a water molecule; how a proton actually exists in water.

Strong Acid

An acid that dissociates completely (100%) when dissolved in water, producing large amounts of H3O+ ions and anions, making it an excellent proton donor.

Dissociation

The process where a substance separates into ions when dissolved in water.

Weak Acid

An acid that dissociates only slightly when dissolved in water, producing small amounts of H3O+ ions, making it a poor proton donor.

Strong Base

A base that dissociates completely in water, producing large amounts of OH- ions, making it an excellent proton acceptor.

Weak Base

A base that is a poor acceptor of protons from water, producing small amounts of OH- ions.

Acid-Base Equilibrium

A state in an acid-base reaction where reactants are not completely converted to products because a reverse reaction takes place.

Equilibrium

A state where the rates of the forward and reverse chemical reactions become equal, and no further change takes place in the concentrations of reactants and products, though reactions continue.

Le Chatelier's Principle

States that when equilibrium is disturbed (e.g., by altering reactant/product concentration), the rates of the forward and reverse reactions change to relieve stress and re-establish equilibrium.

Amphoteric

A substance, like water, that can behave as both an acid and a base.

[H3O+]

Represents the acidity of a solution.

[OH-]

Represents the basicity of a solution.

Ion-Product Constant for Water (Kw)

The product of the concentrations of H3O+ and OH- in water, which is a constant value of 1.0 x 10^-14 at 25°C.

Neutral Solution

An aqueous solution where the concentration of H3O+ is equal to the concentration of OH-.

Acidic Solution

An aqueous solution where the concentration of H3O+ is greater than the concentration of OH-.

Basic Solution

An aqueous solution where the concentration of OH- is greater than the concentration of H3O+.

pH Scale

A logarithm scale (0-14) that represents the H3O+ concentrations of aqueous solutions.

pH

A measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution, calculated as -log[H3O+].

Buffer

A solution that resists a change in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added.

Buffer Components

A combination of a weak acid and a salt providing its conjugate base, or a weak base and a salt providing its conjugate acid.