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Acid/Base Strengths and Dissociation Constants03:02

Acid/Base Strengths and Dissociation Constants

The relative strength of an acid or base is the extent to which it ionizes when dissolved in water. If the ionization reaction is essentially complete, the acid or base is termed strong; if relatively little ionization occurs, the acid or base is weak. There are many more weak acids and bases than strong ones. The most common strong acids and bases are listed below:
Acidity of Carboxylic Acids01:21

Acidity of Carboxylic Acids

Carboxylic acids are the strongest organic acids. However, their acidic strength is much less than mineral acids like HCl. Carboxylic acids ionize in water and readily lose the hydroxyl proton to form a resonance-stabilized carboxylate ion.
Acid and Bases: Ka, pKa, and Relative Strengths02:35

Acid and Bases: Ka, pKa, and Relative Strengths

This lesson delves into a critical aspect of the relative strengths of acids and bases. The strength of an acid is evaluated by the acid dissociation into its conjugate base and a hydronium ion in water. The complete dissociation of a strong acid is confirmed with a very high concentration of hydronium ions. As a result, an incomplete dissociation process affirms a weak acid. Therefore, the equilibrium is in the forward direction for strong acids and backward for weak acids in these reactions.
Mixtures of Acids03:27

Mixtures of Acids

The pH of a solution containing an acid can be determined using its acid dissociation constant and its initial concentration. If a solution contains two different acids, then its pH can be determined using one of several methods depending upon the relative strength of the acids and their dissociation constants.
A Mixture of a Strong Acid and a Weak Acid
In a mixture of a strong acid and a weak acid, the strong acid dissociates completely and becomes a source of almost all the hydronium ions...
Mixtures of Acids01:19

Mixtures of Acids

The pH of a solution containing an acid can be determined using its acid dissociation constant and initial concentration. If a solution contains two different acids, then its pH can be determined using one of several methods depending on the relative strength of the acids and their dissociation constants.
In a strong and weak acid mixture, the strong acid dissociates completely and becomes a source of almost all the hydronium ions present in the solution. In contrast, the weak acid shows...
Relative Strengths of Conjugate Acid-Base Pairs02:29

Relative Strengths of Conjugate Acid-Base Pairs

Brønsted-Lowry acid-base chemistry is the transfer of protons; thus, logic suggests a relation between the relative strengths of conjugate acid-base pairs. The strength of an acid or base is quantified in its ionization constant, Ka or Kb, which represents the extent of the acid or base ionization reaction. For the conjugate acid-base pair HA / A−, the ionization equilibrium equations and ionization constant expressions are