Structure of the Atom
26. Acids & Bases
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Session Overview
| Modules | Aqueous Solutions |
| Concepts | Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry, and Lewis models of acids and bases, acid strength, pH |
| Keywords | acid, base, alkali, acid-base reaction, proton, electron, donor, acceptor, neutralization, dissociation, ionization, conjugate acid-base pairs, protonation, deprotonation, amphiprotic |
| Chemical Substances | ammonia (NH3), ammonium (NH4), hydronium (H3O+), hydroxyl (OH-), acetic acid (CH3COOH), sulfur dioxide (SO2) |
| Applications | pickling, wine, coal-fired power plant, acid rain, sulfur dioxide scrubber |
Prerequisites
Before starting this session, you should be familiar with:
- the Molecules and Bonding module (Session 7 through Session 12)
- Solutions (Session 25)
Learning Objectives
After completing this session, you should be able to:
- Compare the acid-base models of Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry, and Lewis, and know the salient features of each.
- Write the general acid-base reaction.
- Explain the chemical basis of acid strength and the pH measurement.
- Describe the behaviors of conjugate acid-base pairs.
- Explain how dissociation affects ionic compounds.
- Solve specific acid-base reaction problems.
Reading
| Book Chapters | Topics |
|---|---|
 [A&E] 4.6, "Acid-Base Reactions." | Definitions of acids and bases; polyprotic acids; strengths of acids and bases; hydronium ion; neutralization reactions; pH scale |
| [A&E] 8.7, "Lewis Acids and Bases." | Lewis acids and bases |
| [A&E] 16.1, "The Autoionization of Water." | Acid-base properties of water; ion-product constant; relationship among pH, pOH, and pKw |
| [A&E] 16.2, "A Qualitative Description of Acid-Base Equilibria." | Conjugate acid-base pairs; equilibrium constants Ka, Kb, pKa and pKb; strong acids and bases; leveling effect; polyprotic acids and bases; solutions of salts |
| [A&E] 16.3, "Molecular Structure and Acid-Base Strength." | Bond strengths; conjugate bases; inductive effects |
| [A&E] 16.4, "Quantitative Aspects of Acid-Base Equilibria." | Ka and Kb; percent ionization from Ka and Kb; Keq from Ka and Kb |
Lecture Video
Download this video:
» iTunes U (MP4 - 224MB)
» Internet Archive (MP4 - 224MB)
Resources
Lecture Summary
This lecture introduces the chemical models and behaviors of acids and bases. Starting from the historical origins ("acid" derives from the Latin acidus, meaning "sour"), Prof. Sadoway discusses the evolving acid-base models of Lavoisier (1776), Arrhenius (1887), Brønsted and Lowry (1923), and Lewis (1923-1938).
The lecture proceeds to cover:
- The general acid-base reaction
- Conjugate acid-base pairs
- The dissociation process of ionic compounds
- Solving acid-base reaction problems
Homework
For Further Study
Textbook Study Materials
See the [A&E] companion website for PowerPoint outlines of each chapter, plus online quizzes, interactive graphs and 3D molecular animations:
Supplemental Readings
Djerassi, C., and R. Hoffmann. Oxygen: A Play in Two Acts. New York, NY: Wiley-VCH, 2001. ISBN: 9783527304134. See also the study guide and other publisher resources.
Brandis, Kerry. Acid-Base Physiology. See Chapter 1 of this online tutorial/textbook, which applies acid-base chemistry to physiology.
People
Svante Arrhenius — 1903 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Other OCW and OER Content
| Content | Provider | Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.111 Principles of Chemical Science | MIT OpenCourseWare | Undergraduate (first-year) | For an alternative treatment of many topics in this session (e.g. acid-base models, pH, equilibrium, acid strength, reaction problems), see: |
| Acid-Base Equilibrium | Connexions | Undergraduate, general chemistry | Includes notes and sample exercises |
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| « Previous: Introduction to Aqueous Solutions | Next: Self-Assessment » |
