In chemistry, acid strength refers to the tendency of the acid and can be classified as either strong or weak. Acid strength also stands for the ability to disassociate the acid into protons and anions. Chemically, the acid strength is represented as HA with protons being H+ and anions being A-. Strong acids when dissolved in water yields protons and anions. There are 7 strong acids and the rest are weak acids. The tendency of each acid to release protons and anions is indicative of their strength. Mixing strong acid and weak monoprotic acid can reveal its pH value. A curve can also be drawn for the performed titration.Â
A mixture of Strong Acid and Weak Monoprotic Acid
HA is the general symbol for monoprotic acid. Now in a chemical reaction with NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide), the reaction will be:
HA (aq) + NaOH (aq) 🡪 NaA + H2O (l)
Thus, yielding a neutralization reaction and giving only one proton or a hydrogen atom.
There are 7 chief strong acids which are:
- HClO3 (Chloric Acid)
- HCl (Hydrochloric Acid)
- H2SO4 (Sulphuric Acid)
- HNO3 (Nitric Acid)
- HClO4 (Perchloric Acid)
- HBr (Hydrobromic Acid)
- HI (Hydriodic Acid)
The titration of a weak acid with a strong base is the topic of many inquiries in chemistry. Titration means a chemical process where a particular concentration of a dissolved substance is determined against the smallest unit of a reagent with the concentration and volume known. This process is done to get the desired result or effect from the dissolved substance. The titration of a weak acid with a strong base yields a direct result in protons.Â
Titration of a Weak Acid with a Strong Base
When the titration of a weak acid with a strong base is observed, it can be seen that protons are directly transferred from the weak acid to a hydroxide ion. Different setups are used in this type of titration. The titration of a weak acid with a strong base is another type of inquiry. The solution at this point is called titrant. The solution in which the titrant gets added is known as analyte. The titrant is usually the strong base while the analyte is the weak one in the titration of a weak acid with a strong base combination. The titration curve is the graphical representation of the titrant. An example of titration of a weak acid with a strong base is the reaction of acetic acid with sodium hydroxide.Â
C2 H4 O2 (aq) + OH– (aq) 🡪 C2 H3 O2– (aq) + H2O (l)
The mixture of Strong Acid and Weak Acid Against Strong Base
Another combination of a chemical experiment that is performed in most chemical labs is the mixture of strong acid and weak acid against a strong base. In the case of a mixture of strong acid and weak acid against a strong base, the base and the acid will react with one another to form acid. The result of this titration would be conjugate acids. It yields a solution having a pH value of >7.Â
Weak Monoprotic Acid Examples
Monoprotic acid yields one proton or hydrogen atom into a solution (aqueous). Weak Monoprotic acid examples are:Â
- HF (Hydrogen Fluoride)
- HBr (Hydrobromic Acid)
- HCl (Hydrochloric Acid)
Conclusion
To define strong acid is to state that whenever an acid is dissolved in water and yields positively charged ions called protons and negatively charged ions called an anion. The degree of this tendency determines its strength. Academically, it has been seen that mixing strong acid with weak monoprotic acid is used to provide pH values.