Acid-Base Chemistry: Terms and Definitions

A set of 35 flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to acid-base chemistry to aid in exam preparation.

Ka

Equilibrium constant for the dissociation of HA to A- and H +.

pKa

Negative log of the acid dissociation constant.

Weak Acid

An acid that partially dissociates in solution.

Weak Base

A base that partially accepts protons in solution.

Dissociation

The process by which an acid or base breaks apart into ions in solution.

Ion Constant of Water (Kw)

The equilibrium constant for the self-ionization of water.

Conjugate Base

The species that remains after an acid donates a proton.

Protonation

The process of adding a proton to a molecule.

Resonance

The delocalization of electrons in a molecule.

Equilibrium Constant (K)

A number that describes the ratio of concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium.

Acid Dissociation Constant (Ka)

Quantifies the strength of an acid in solution.

pH

A measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution.

Stronger Acid

An acid that has a larger Ka value and dissociates more completely.

pK

Common shorthand for the negative logarithm of a concentration term, usually acidity.

Barbiturates

A class of drugs that can act as weak acids in solution.

Neutral Charge

A state in which a molecule has no overall charge (equal numbers of protons and electrons).

Delocalized Charge

Charge that is spread over several atoms rather than localized on one atom.

Sodium Salts of Acids

Salts that can increase the water solubility of weak acids.

Concentration of H+

A measure of the amount of hydrogen ions present in a solution.

True or False: A strong acid has a larger Ka than a weak acid.

True.

True or False: The pKa of an acid is equal to its pKb of the conjugate base.

False.

Equilibrium Reaction

The balance between the forward and reverse reaction in a chemical process.

Proton Donor

An acid that donates protons (H+) in a reaction.

Proton Acceptor

A base that accepts protons (H+) in a reaction.

Ka of Weak Acid

Represented as a smaller value as compared to strong acids.

Increased Water Solubility

Typically achieved by forming salts of weak acids.

Strong Base

A base that completely dissociates in solution.

Equivalence Point

The point in a titration where the amount of acid equals the amount of base.

Buffer Solutions

Solutions that resist changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added.

Concentration

The abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture.

Chemical Reaction

A process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another.

Weak Acid Example

Acetic acid (CH3COOH) is an example of a weak acid.

Weak Base Example

Ammonia (NH3) is an example of a weak base.

Acid-Base Chemistry

The study of reactions involving acids and bases.

pH Scale

A logarithmic scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

H+ Ions

Hydrogen ions that determine the acidity of a solution.

Ka and pKa Relationship

pKa = -log(Ka), showing their inverse relationship.

Hydrogen Ion Concentration

Critical parameter that affects the pH level of a solution.

Acid-Base Equilibria

The balance between acids and bases in a chemical system.