Biochemistry Lecture on Water Conductivity and pH

These flashcards cover key concepts from the biochemistry lecture on water conductivity, pH, and acid-base chemistry.

Conductivity

The ability of a substance to conduct electricity, in this context referring to pure water.

Autoionization

The process by which water can dissociate into hydrogen ions (H⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻).

18 Megaohm water

Water that has a resistance of 18 megaohms, indicating it has very low conductivity.

pH scale

A logarithmic scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution, based on the concentration of hydrogen ions.

Kw (water dissociation constant)

The equilibrium constant for the autoionization of water, which is equal to 1 × 10^-14 at 25 degrees Celsius.

Ka (acid dissociation constant)

An equilibrium constant that measures the strength of an acid in solution.

Weak acid

An acid that partially dissociates in solution, characterized by a small value of Ka.

Strong base

A base that completely dissociates in solution, resulting in a high concentration of hydroxide ions.

Proton concentration

The concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution, often used to calculate pH.

Henderson-Hasselbalch equation

A formula that relates pH, pKa, and the ratio of the concentrations of the anion and acid: pH = pKa + log([A⁻]/[HA]).