TOPIC 13 Acid–base reactions in water

Glossary of key terms

acid substance that can donate a proton to a base

acid rain rain made acidic by mixing with atmospheric pollution resulting a pH less than 5

acidic oxide oxide of a non-metal

alkali soluble base

amphiprotic substance that can accept or donate protons

base substance that can accept a proton from an acid

concentrated has a large quantity of solute in a known volume of solution

concentration the amount of solute that is dissolved in a known volume of solution

conjugate acid the product that a base forms when it has accepted a proton from an acid

conjugate base the product that an acid forms when it has donated a proton to a base

dilute has a small quantity of solute in a known volume of solution

diprotic can donate two protons

dissociation the process by which ions separate when an ionic compound dissolves

double arrow used to show a chemical equation is reversible

electrolyte solution or liquid that can conduct electricity

hydronium ion H3O+, combination of a proton with a water molecule

indicator substances that undergo an observable change in an acidic or basic solution

ionise reaction in which a substance reacts with water to form ions

logarithm quantity representing the power to which a fixed number (the base) must be raised to
produce a given number

molarity concentration measured in units of moles of solute per litre (mol l –1 or M) of solution

monoprotic can donate one proton

neutralisation chemical reaction in which an acid and a base react to form a salt

pH scale used to measure acidity; pH can be calculated using pH = –log 10[H3O+]

polyprotic able to donate more than one proton to a base

pop test test for hydrogen gas where a small amount of the gas is collected and a lit match is placed
nearby

salt ionic compound formed when an acid is neutralised by a base

self-ionisation constant Kw; in all aqueous solutions this value is constant and results from the self-
ionisation of

water: H2O (l) + H2O (l) ⇌ H3O+ (aq) + OH− (aq)

© John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 1

 TOPIC 13 Acid–base reactions in water

Kw = [H3O+] [OH−] = 10−14 M2

species general term that could refer to atoms, molecules, molecular fragments or ions

stock solution concentrated solution that will be diluted as required for later use

strong acid acid that fully ionises in water

strong base base that fully dissociates in water

triprotic acid that can donate three protons

weak acid acid that partially ionises in water

weak base base that partially dissociates in water

© John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 2