Ph strong vs weak

• What is the pH of an aqueous solution formed by an acid?

  Less than seven
• Why do acids form aqueous solutions with a pH of less than seven?

  Because they ionize in aqueous solutions to release hydrogen ions
• What ions does hydrochloric acid dissociate into in solution?

  $H^+$ and $Cl^−$
• What is the ionization product of nitric acid in solution?

  A hydrogen ion and a nitrate ion
• What defines strong acids like hydrochloric and nitric acid?

  They ionize completely in solution
• What are some examples of weak acids?

  Ethanoic acid, citric acid, and carbonic acid
• How do weak acids differ from strong acids in terms of ionization?

  Weak acids do not fully ionize; only a small portion dissociates
• What does it mean when the ionization of a weak acid is described as reversible?


  There is an equilibrium between the undissociated and dissociated forms of the acid
• What does the double arrow in the dissociation equation of ethanoic acid indicate?

  That the reaction is reversible
• What does it mean when we say the equilibrium lies to the left for weak acids?

  There are more undissociated acid molecules than dissociated ones at equilibrium
• How should one not confuse acid strength with concentration?

  Strength refers to how much an acid ionizes, while concentration measures the amount of acid in a volume
• Can strong acids be found at both high and low concentrations?

  Yes
• Can weak acids also be either concentrated or dilute?

  Yes
• What does pH measure in a solution?

  The concentration of hydrogen ions
• How does the pH scale relate to hydrogen ion concentration?

  As hydrogen ion concentration increases, pH decreases
• What does a decrease of one on the pH scale represent in terms of hydrogen ion concentration?


  An increase in hydrogen ion concentration by a factor of 10
• If the pH changes from 5 to 3, how much does the hydrogen ion concentration increase?

  By a factor of 100
• If the pH changes from 8 to 11, how does the hydrogen ion concentration change?

  It decreases by a factor of 1,000
• What is required to achieve a very acidic solution with a low pH?

  A high concentration of hydrogen ions
• Why can a strong acid like hydrochloric acid achieve a low pH at most concentrations?

  Because each particle dissociates fully, releasing many hydrogen ions
• What must a weak acid like carbonic acid be to achieve a low pH?

  It must be really concentrated
• At any given concentration, how does the pH of a strong acid compare to that of a weak acid?

  A strong acid will always have a lower pH than a weak acid
• What determines the pH of a solution?

  The concentration of hydrogen ions