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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).

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