02 Strength of Acids and Alkalis

Strong and Weak Acids

Certain acids are considered to be strong, which means they are dissociated
100% in solution. The most common example of strong acid is Hydrochloric
Acid (HC1). Weak acid is one which doesn’t ionize filly when it is dissolved
in water. Ethanoic acid is a typical weak acid. It reacts with water to produce
hydroxonium ions and ethanoate ions.

Strong and Weak Alkali

A strong alkali is something like sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide

which is fully ionic. We can think of the compound as being 100% split up
into metal ions and hydroxide ions in solution. A weak alkali is one which
doesn’t convert fully into hydroxide ions in solution. Ammonia is typical
weak alkali. Ammonia itself obviously doesn’t contain hydroxide ions, but it
reacts with water to produce ammonium ions and hydroxide ions.

Some of the common strong acids and alkalis

Strong Acids Strong Alkalis

perchloric acid (HClO4)
hydrochloric acid (HCl)
hydrobromic acid (HBr)
hydroiodic acid (Hl)
nitric acid (HNO3)
sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
lithium hydroxide (LiOH)
sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
potassium hydroxide (KOH)
calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)
strontium hydroxide (Sr(OH)2)
barium hydroxide (Ba(OH)2)

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