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Chemical Changes

Strong and weak acids

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 1

Overview

Strong acids as completely ionised and weak acids as partially ionised, examples of each, why a strong acid has a lower pH than a weak acid of the same concentration, the tenfold change in hydrogen ion concentration per pH unit, concentrated and dilute acids, and neutrality at pH 7.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Name three weak acids and explain why ethanoic acid has a higher pH than hydrochloric acid of the same concentration.

Evaluation

Explain the difference between a concentrated acid and a dilute acid, and how the strength of an acid differs from its concentration.

Key term

Name three strong acids.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What does it mean to say that an acid is strong?

    Model answer

    It is completely ionised when it is dissolved in water.

  2. 2

    Name three strong acids.

    Model answer

    Hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid.

  3. 3

    What happens to essentially every hydrogen chloride molecule when it dissolves in water?

    Model answer

    It splits up completely, releasing a hydrogen ion and a chloride ion.

  4. 4

    What does it mean to say that an acid is weak?

    Model answer

    It is only partially ionised when it is dissolved in water.

  5. 5

    Name three weak acids.

    Model answer

    Ethanoic acid, citric acid and carbonic acid.

  6. 6

    Explain why only a small fraction of the ethanoic acid molecules in a solution release hydrogen ions.

    Model answer

    Ethanoic acid is a weak acid, so its ionisation is only partial and most of the molecules stay intact.

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