How can electricity be conducted by acids and bases

Let us consider the reaction between water and hydrochloric acid HCl. The reaction is as follows:. Base when dissolved in water produces OH - ion. Why is NaH a strong base?

Is HBr a strong acid? Is HF a strong acid? Why does neutralization occur? Do strong acids completely dissociate in water? How can I calculate pH of weak acid? Therefore the solution of benzoic acid will have a lower pH. The relative strength of an acid or base depends on how high its K a or K b value is, in this case, the K a value is far lower than the K b value so the ammonia is more strongly basic than ammonium is acidic.

Demonstration of Acid and Base Conductivity The instructor will test the conductivity of various solutions with a light bulb apparatus. Bond Strength The bond strengths of acids and bases are implied by the relative amounts of molecules and ions present in solution. The bonds are represented as: acid base H-A M-OH where A is a negative ion, and M is a positive ion Strong acids have mostly ions in solution, therefore the bonds holding H and A together must be weak.

Strong acids easily break apart into ions. Weak acids exist mostly as molecules with only a few ions in solution, therefore the bonds holding H and A together must be strong. Weak acids do not readily break apart as ions but remain bonded together as molecules. Bond Strength Principle Acids or bases with strong bonds exist predominately as molecules in solutions and are called "weak" acids or bases. All characteristics of acids and bases are related to whether the predominate forms are molecules and ions.

Characteristic Strong Acid or Base Weak Acid or Base Molecules few large number Ions large number small number Conductivity strong weak Bond Strength weak strong Acids and bases behave differently in solution based on their strength.

Introduction Again Some acids and bases ionize rapidly and almost completely in solution; these are called strong acids and strong bases. Solution The K a value is a measure of the ratio between reactants and products at equilibrium. Solution The relative strength of an acid or base depends on how high its K a or K b value is, in this case, the K a value is far lower than the K b value so the ammonia is more strongly basic than ammonium is acidic.

Acids or bases with strong bonds exist predominately as molecules in solutions and are called "weak" acids or bases. Acids or bases with weak bonds easily dissociate into ions and are called "strong" acids or bases. Quiz: Compare the strength of the bonds, M-OH , in a weak base and a strong base by inference of the amounts of ions and molecules present.

Answer Weak base has lots of molecules, therefore strong bonds. Strong base has lots of ions, therefore weak bonds.

Link to animations on water, strong and weak acids. Link to weak and strong acid animation - Chang text. Link to animations on buffers. Acids and Bases. Elmhurst College. Acid-Base Strength.