Answer to Question #56239 in Inorganic Chemistry for chaloni

Question

What does it mean to say that an acid is a strong acid? How is a strong acid different from a weak acid?

Answer 1

Strength of the acid is determined by its dissociation, more exactly – by its dissociation constant:
A_xB_x = xA + yB

K_d = [A]^x [B]^y / [A_xB_y]
Strong acids dissociate almost fully, Kd>1*10^-3. Weak acids dissociate only partially, Kd <1*^-3 respectively.