All Flashcards
What is the definition of pH?
pH is a measure of the concentration of protons (H+) in a solution; it indicates how acidic a solution is.
What is the definition of pOH?
pOH is a measure of the concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-) in a solution; it indicates how basic a solution is.
Define Kw.
Kw is the equilibrium constant for the autoionization of water, equal to at 25°C.
What does it mean for a strong acid to 'completely dissociate'?
It means the acid breaks apart 100% into ions when dissolved in water, with no equilibrium established.
Define autoionization of water.
The process where water self-ionizes into H+ and OH- ions, represented by the equilibrium:
What is the effect of increasing [H+] in a solution?
The pH decreases, making the solution more acidic.
What is the effect of increasing [OH-] in a solution?
The pOH decreases, and the pH increases, making the solution more basic.
What happens to pH if a strong acid is added to water?
The pH decreases significantly, as the concentration of H+ ions increases dramatically.
What happens to pOH if a strong base is added to water?
The pOH decreases significantly, as the concentration of OH- ions increases dramatically.
What is the effect of temperature increase on Kw?
Kw increases, meaning the autoionization of water is more favored at higher temperatures.
What are the key differences between pH and pOH?
pH: Measures acidity, based on [H+]. Lower pH = more acidic. | pOH: Measures basicity, based on [OH-]. Lower pOH = more basic.
Compare strong acids and weak acids in terms of dissociation.
Strong acids: Completely dissociate in water. | Weak acids: Partially dissociate in water, establishing an equilibrium.
Compare calculating the pH of a strong acid versus a weak acid.
Strong acid: pH calculated directly from the concentration of the acid. | Weak acid: pH calculated using the Ka expression and an ICE table.
What are the key differences between strong bases and weak bases?
Strong bases: Completely dissociate in water. | Weak bases: Partially dissociate in water, establishing an equilibrium.
Compare calculating the pOH of a strong base versus a weak base.
Strong base: pOH calculated directly from the concentration of the base. | Weak base: pOH calculated using the Kb expression and an ICE table.