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Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
Updated on July 03, 2019Strong electrolytes are completely dissociated into ions in water. The acid or base molecule does not exist in aqueous solution, only ions. Weak electrolytes are incompletely dissociated. Here are definitions and examples of strong and weak acids and strong and weak bases.
Strong acids completely dissociate in water, forming H + and an anion. There are six strong acids. The others are considered to be weak acids. You should commit the strong acids to memory:
If the acid is 100 percent dissociated in solutions of 1.0 M or less, it is called strong. Sulfuric acid is considered strong only in its first dissociation step; 100 percent dissociation isn't true as solutions become more concentrated.
A weak acid only partially dissociates in water to give H + and the anion. Examples of weak acids include hydrofluoric acid, HF, and acetic acid, CH3COOH. Weak acids include:
Strong bases dissociate 100 percent into the cation and OH - (hydroxide ion). The hydroxides of the Group I and Group II metals usually are considered to be strong bases.
* These bases completely dissociate in solutions of 0.01 M or less. The other bases make solutions of 1.0 M and are 100 percent dissociated at that concentration. There are other strong bases than those listed, but they are not often encountered.
Examples of weak bases include ammonia, NH3, and diethylamine, (CH3CH2)2NH. Like weak acids, weak bases do not completely dissociate in aqueous solution.
Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Strength of Acids and Bases." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/strong-and-weak-acids-and-bases-603667. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). Strength of Acids and Bases. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/strong-and-weak-acids-and-bases-603667 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Strength of Acids and Bases." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/strong-and-weak-acids-and-bases-603667 (accessed September 9, 2024).
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