Strong and Weak Acids - Strength and Concentration.
Acids and alkalis can be described as strong or weak.
This does not mean the same as concentrated or dilute. The strength of an acid or alkali depends on how ionised it is in water.
A strong acid or alkali is completely (100%) ionised.
For hydrochloric acid hydrogen chloride (in water) hydrogen ion + chloride ion HCl(aq) H+(aq) + Cl-(aq) All of the hydrogen chloride molecules become hydrogen ions and chloride ions in water (see examples for other strong acids). For sodium hydroxide sodium hydroxide (in water) sodium ion + hydroxide ion NaOH(aq) Na+(aq) + OH-(aq) Sodium hydroxide exists as ions both in water and in the solid. (see examples for other strong alkalis).
A weak acid or alkali is only partly (less than
100%) ionised. For ethanoic acid ethanoic acid (in water) hydrogen ion + ethanoic ion CH3CO2H(aq) H+(aq) + CH3CO2-(aq) Some of the ethanoic acid molecules become ions in water but most of them stay as molecules. The reaction is reversible (shown by the arrow). For ammonia ammonia + water ammonium ion + hydroxide ion NH3(g) + H2O(l) NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq) Some of the ammonia molecules become ions in water but most of them stay as molecules. See also Concentration and Differences between Strong and Weak Acids. Strong and Weak Acids - Strength and Concentration (cont inued).
A strong acid does not become a weak acid just because
it is diluted. Concentrated hydrochloric acid and dilute hydrochloric acid are both strong acids because they are both completely ionised in water. Concentrated ethanoic acid and dilute ethanoic acid are both weak acids because they are only partly ionised in water. You can tell the difference between a strong acid and a weak acid by using universal indicator to see what pH it is. A strong acid and a weak acid of the same concentration will react at different rates with the same metal (see next page).