ACID & BASE STRENGTH Relative Acid Base strengths are expressed by the pKa scale.

A given acid will give up its proton to the base of an acid with a higher pKa value. The base of a given acid will deprotonate an acid with a lower pKa value.

Strong acid in water

Weak acids in water

Not an acid in water

Acid HClO4 HI H2SO4 HBr HCl HNO3 H3O+ CCl3CO2H HSO4H3PO4 CH2ClCO2H HF HNO2 CH3CO2H C5H5NH+ H2CO3 H2S NH4+ HCO3CH3NH3+ H2O CH3OH HCCH NH3 CH2CH2 CH3CH3

Base ClO4IHSO4BrClNO3H2O CCl3CO2SO4-2 H2PO4CH2ClCO2FNO2CH3CO2C5H5N HCO3HS-NH3 CO3-2 CH3NH2 OHCH3OHCCNH2CH2CHCH3CH2-

pKa -10 -10 -10 -9 -7 -2 -1.74 0.52 1.99 2.12 2.85 3.17 3.3 4.75 5.25 6.35 7.00 9.24 10.33 10.56 15.74 18 25 34 36 42

Strong acid in ammonia

Weak acid in ammonia

Not an acid in ammonia