Using The Equilibrium Arrow

[Nha Dang 2I]

How do we know when to use the equilibrium arrow when writing reactions with acids and bases? Do you do it whenever there's weak acids and bases? I was reading through Fundamentals J, and I noticed on F84 that they wrote a net ionic equation for the neutralization of the weak acid/base but they used the regular chemical reaction arrow, so I was a bit confused.

[Priyanka Bhakta 1L]

I believe you use the equilibrium arrows if it is not a strong acid or base because strong acids and bases are 100% ionized in solution, while weak acids and bases are not; hence the equilibrium arrows because the reaction will continue to go back and forth without the reaction fully being completed like with strong acids/bases.

[Lily Guo 1D]

You use the equilibrium arrow for weak acids and bases because they don't fully dissociate. Strong acids and bases completely dissociate, so you would use a regular arrow for equations with strong acids/bases.

[Lorie Seuylemezian-2K]

Yes I agree with the post above! Only use the equilibrium arrow when you are working with weak acids and bases.

[Nha Dang 2I]

Is there every an instance where there's both a strong acid and a weak base reacting together? And if so, would you still use the equilibrium arrow or would you use a regular chemical reaction arrow in that case?

[Belle Calforda3f]

Equilibrium arrows are used for weak acids and weak bases because they do not dissociate completely. Likewise, only weak acids and weak bases have conjugate acids and conjugate bases because they do not dissociate completely.