Acids, Bases and Buffers

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Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

Card preview (24)

Front (Question)

Define a Bronsted-Lowry acid

Back (Answer)

Proton donor

Front (Question)

Define a Bronsted-Lowry base

Back (Answer)

Proton acceptor

Front (Question)

What ion causes a solution to be acidic? (Name and formula)

Back (Answer)

H+ ion or more accurately H3O+ (oxonium ion) as protons react with H2O to form it

Front (Question)

What ion causes a solution to be alkaline

Back (Answer)

-OH (hydroxide ion)

Front (Question)

Write an equation for the ionisation of water (2)

Back (Answer)

2H2O (l) ⇌ H3O+ (aq) + -OH (aq) OR H2O (l) ⇌ H+ + -OH (aq)

Front (Question)

Derive Kw using the equation for ionisation of water

Back (Answer)

K= [H+][OH-] / [H2O] [H2O] K = [H+][OH-] [H2O] is so large compared to [H+] and [OH-] that [H2O]K can be considered a constant. [H2O] K = Kw Therefore Kw = [H+][OH-]

Front (Question)

What is the value of Kw at 298K

Back (Answer)

1.0 x10^-14

Front (Question)

What physical factors affect the value of Kw? How do they affect it?

Back (Answer)

Temperature only - if temperature is increased the equilibrium moves to the right so Kw increases and the pH of pure water decreases

Front (Question)

Why is pure water still neutral even if the pH does not equal 7?

Back (Answer)

[H+] = [OH-]

#10

Front (Question)

Give an expression for pH in terms of H+

Back (Answer)

pH = -log[H+]

#11

Front (Question)

What is the relationship between pH and [H+]

Back (Answer)

Lower pH = higher concentration of H+

#12

Front (Question)

If two solutions have a pH difference of 1, what is the difference in [H+]

Back (Answer)

A factor of 10

#13

Front (Question)

How do you find [H+] from pH?

Back (Answer)

[H+] = 10^-pH

#14

Front (Question)

How do you find [OH-] from pH? (at 298K)

Back (Answer)

Find [H+], use Kw (equal to 1 x10^-14 at 298K) to calculate [OH-]

#15

Front (Question)

What is different when finding [H+] from the concentration of diprotic and triprotic acids

Back (Answer)

Need to multiple the concentration of the acid by the number of protons to find [H+]

#16

Front (Question)

How do you calculate the pH of a strong alkaline solution?

Back (Answer)

Use Kw to calculate [H+] from [OH-] Use pH = -log[H+]

#17

Front (Question)

Define the term strong acid

Back (Answer)

One which fully dissociates in water (HX —> H+ + X-)

#18

Front (Question)

Define the term strong base

Back (Answer)

One which fully dissociates in water (XOH —> X+ + OH-)

#19

Front (Question)

What is the difference between concentrated and strong

Back (Answer)

Concentrated means many moles per dm3, strong refers to amount of dissociation

#20

Front (Question)

What is a weak acid and weak base?

Back (Answer)

Weak acids and bases do not fully dissociate in water. They only partially dissociate into their ions

#21

Front (Question)

Give some examples of strong acids

Back (Answer)

HCl H2SO4 H3PO4

#22

Front (Question)

Give some examples of strong bases

Back (Answer)

NaOH CaCO3 Na2CO3

#23

Front (Question)

Give some examples of weak acids

Back (Answer)

CH3COOH or any organic acid

#24

Front (Question)

Give some examples of weak bases

Back (Answer)

NH3