Skip to main content

Introduction to Acids and Bases

Acids and bases are fundamental concepts in chemistry, describing substances that can donate or accept protons (H⁺ ions) in aqueous solutions.

Key Concepts​

Definitions​

  • Arrhenius Acid: Increases H⁺ concentration in water
  • Arrhenius Base: Increases OH⁻ concentration in water
  • Brønsted-Lowry Acid: Proton donor
  • Brønsted-Lowry Base: Proton acceptor

Properties​

  • Acids: Sour taste, pH < 7, turn litmus red
  • Bases: Bitter taste, slippery feel, pH > 7, turn litmus blue

Strong vs Weak​

  • Strong acids/bases: Completely ionize in water (e.g., HCl, NaOH)
  • Weak acids/bases: Partially ionize in water (e.g., CH₃COOH, NH₃)

Conjugate Pairs​

  • Acid ↔ Conjugate Base
  • Base ↔ Conjugate Acid
  • Example: HCl + H₂O → H₃O⁺ + Cl⁻
    • HCl is acid, Cl⁻ is conjugate base
    • H₂O is base, H₃O⁺ is conjugate acid

Importance​

  • Understanding acids and bases is critical for chemical reactions, titrations, buffer systems, and biological processes.
  • Provides the foundation for pH, equilibrium, and solubility concepts.

Have Questions?​

If you have any questions, or are looking for more resources, you can join our Discord Server