Weak acids and bases

[Valeria Morales]

Hi, I have an understanding of what makes a strong base and a strong acid, but I have troubling distinguishing the weak acids and weak bases,

[606012329]

What helped me was memorizing the strong acids list in the textbook. anything else was a weak acid. For bases, i did the same and remembered that strong bases will have a group 1 or group 2 element and an OH

[Hansika_Sakshi_2k]

The best way is just memorizing the string acids and bases and then knowing everything else will be weak. I just remembered the main weak ones like NH3.

[205957986]

like everyone else said, i found it helpful to reference the tables that are available in the books in order to differentiate between strong and weak acids/bases :)

[Lan Wei 3I]

Like everyone else said, memorizing the strong acids and bases will help you determine the weak ones. For acid specifically, I used the mnemonic device "So I Brought No Clean Clothes." I hope that's helpful!

[Wenting_2F]

Weak Acids: They partially dissociate in water, producing fewer \( H^+ \) ions. Examples include acetic acid and hydrofluoric acid. They have a higher pH than strong acids and conduct electricity poorly.

Weak Bases: They partially accept protons, producing fewer \( OH^- \) ions. Examples include ammonia and pyridine. They have a lower pH than strong bases and also conduct electricity poorly.

Both weak acids and bases do not fully dissociate in solution, which is the main reason they are considered "weak".