Strong vs. Weak Acids and Bases

[Eileen Si 1G]

How do you distinguish the difference between a strong versus weak acid or a strong versus weak base? Does it have to do with plain memorization, or are there any tricks or ways to tell the difference between them?

[NRobbins_1K]

I would try to avoid memorizing which things make an acid/base strong or weak and focus on understanding WHY certain traits contribute to strength or weakness.

For example, you could just memorize the fact that when you are given an equilibrium constant, it means the acid/base is weak. However, I would recommend going deeper and understanding why: since an equilibrium constant lets you calculate how much of the acid/base has been dissociated, it means by default that NOT ALL of the acid/base has dissociated. Since strong acids/bases are 100% dissociated this means the compound in question can't be strong.

[Eileen Si 1G]

Thank you! Does anyone know of any other traits about acid/base strengths/weaknesses that you should be on the lookout for?

[Ashley Osorio]

What do you refer to when you say equilibrium constant?

[Jessica Tejero 3L]

Strong acids usually have very high electronegativity