Acid Base Theory

Definitions:
Arrhenius:
An acid is a substance that increases the H + (or H3O+)
concentration in an aqueous solution.
HCl + H 2O H3O+ + ClHCl H+ + ClA base is a substance that increases the OH - concentration
in an aqueous solution.
NaOH(s) Na+ + OHWhat about Na2CO3 ????

Bronsted-Lowry:
HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) HOH + NaCl

Acid = a proton donor in a RXN

Base = a proton acceptor in a RXN

Lewis:
An acid is an electron pair acceptor

H+
acid
A base is an electron pair donor

..
:O:H
..

..
H:O:H
..
water

Acid/Base reactions:
Produce water and a salt (and sometimes carbon dioxide).
Hint: concentrate on the water first. Remember, water has
the formula HOH.
Complete and balance the following:
HCl +

2 HCl +

KOH

Ca(OH)2

HOH

Require equal numbers

+ KCl

2HOH

CaCl2

1.

Ba(OH)2 +

2.

HC2H3O2

3.

H2SO4 +

KOH

4.

H2CO3

NaOH

5.

Na2CO3 +

H3PO4
NaOH

HCl

6.

NH4OH +

H2SO4

7.

NH3 + HCl

Give a definition of an acid:

An acid is a proton donor (H+)
Give a definition of a base:
A base is a proton acceptor

Conjugate acids and Conjugate bases

HCl +
acid

KOH

base

Na2CO3 +
base

acid

2HCl
acid

+ KCl

conj. acid

Na2CO3 + 2HCl
base

HOH

H2CO3
conj. acid

conj. base

+ 2NaCl
conj. base

H2O + CO2(g) + 2NaCl

conj. acid

conj. base

NH3 + HCl

NH4+ + Cl

What is a strong Acid?

An Acid that is 100% ionized in water.

Strong Acids:
100% ionized (completely dissociated) in water.
HCl + H2O

H3O+ + Cl-

often written as:

HCl

H+ + Cl-

Strong Acids:
100% ionized (completely dissociated) in water.
HCl + H2O

H3O+ + Cl-

Strong Acids:
Perchloric

HClO4

Chloric,
Hydrobromic,
Hydrochloric,
Hydroiodic,
Nitric,
Sulfuric,

HClO3
HBr
HCl
HI
HNO3
H2SO4

What is a strong Base?

A base that is completely dissociated in water (highly soluble).

NaOH(s) Na+ + OHStrong Bases:

Group 1A metal hydroxides
(LiOH, NaOH, KOH,
RbOH, CsOH)
Heavy Group 2A metal hydroxides
[Ca(OH)2, Sr(OH)2, and
Ba(OH)2]

Weak Acids: The Rest

Strong Acids:
100% ionized (completely dissociated) in water.
HCl + H2O H3O+ + ClNote the one way arrow.
Weak Acids:
Only a small % (dissociated) in water.
HC2H3O2 + H2O H3O+ + C2H3O2Note the 2-way arrow.
Why are they different?

Strong Acids:
HCl HCl
HCl
HCl
HCl

(H2O)

ADD WATER to MOLECULAR ACID

Strong Acids:
Cl(H2O)

H3O+
H3O+
H3O+

H3O+
H3O+

ClCl

Cl-

Cl-

Note: No HCl molecules remain in

solution, all have been ionized in water.

Weak Acid Ionization:

HC2H3O2

HC2H3O2

HC2H3O2

HC 2H 3O 2

HC2H3O2

(H2O)

Add water to MOLECULES of WEAK Acid

Weak Acid Ionization:

HC2H3O2
HC2H3O2

HC 2H 3O 2

HC2H3O2

HC
3OO
2
HC2H
H
2 3 2

(H2O)

H30+
H30+

C2H3O2C2H3O2-

Note: At any given time only a small portion of the acid

molecules are ionized and since reactions are running in
BOTH directions the mixture composition stays the same.

This gives rise to an Equilbrium expression, K a