What is an acid? Difference between Strong and Weak acids?

Acids are those chemical substances that contribute hydrogen ions or protons when mixed in solutions. The number of protons closed by a particular acid determines the strength of the acid – whether it is a strong acid or a weak acid. To understand the strength of acids, one needs to compare their tendency to donate protons to the same base (mostly water). Strength is represented by a number called PKA.

What is a strong acid?

An acid is said to be strong if it completely decomposes or ionizes in a solution.  This means that it is capable of giving the largest number of H + ions or protons when mixed in a solution.  These ions are charged particles.  Since a strong acid donates a greater number of ions as it breaks down, or ionizes, it means that a stronger acid is a conductor of electricity.

When an acid combines into H 2 O, a proton (H + ion) is transported to H 2 O to produce an H3O molecule + (hydronium ion) and an – ion based on which the acid to start is involved.

In a common scenario, such chemical reactions can be reversed, but in some cases, the acid removes the H + ion quite easily and the reaction looks like one way.  And the acid completely decomposes.

For example, when hydrogen chloride dissolves in H 2 O to form HCl, so there is the very little reaction we can write:

At one time, there will be a hundred percent virtual reaction in which hydrogen chloride reacts with H 3 O + (hydronium ions) and Cl – ions.  Here, the strong acid is hydrogen chloride.

What is a weak acid?

An acid is said to be weak if it ionizes partially or incompletely, leaving only some of its hydrogen atoms in solution.  Therefore, it is less capable than a strong acid in closing the proton.  Weak acids have more PKA than strong acids.

For example Ethanoic acid.

It shows a reaction with H 2 to produce H3O + O (hydronium ion) and CH3COOH (ethanoate ion), but the reverse reaction shows more success than the forward one.  Molecules react quite easily to form acids and H 2 O.

At any given time, molecules of 3 COOH acids about only one percent CH show conversion to ions.  All that is left is simple acetic acid (systematically ethanoic acid) molecules.

Difference between Strong Acid and Weak Acid

Strong AcidWeak Acid
A strong acid is an acid that completely ionizes in an aqueous solution.  A strong acid will always loosen a proton (AH +) when dissolved in H 2 O.  In other words, a strong acid is always on its toes and is quite efficient at shutting down protons.A weak acid is partially ionized in a solution. This leaves only some of its hydrogen atoms in the solution. It is therefore less capable than a strong acid.
A strong acid will always show strong conductivity. Strong acids generally uphold more current than weak acids for the same voltage and concentration.Weak acids have low conductivity.  They are poor conductors and show low values ​​for current passing
The reaction is faster in strong acids.In weak acids, the rate of reaction is slow.
Hydrochloric acid (HCl), Nitric acid (HNO) 3), Perchloric acid (HClO) 4), Sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4), Hydrobromic acid (HBr), Chloric acid (HClO 3).Sulfurous acid (H 2 SO 3), acetic acid (CH) 3 CoH), phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4), benzoic acid (C) 6 H 5 COOH), hydrofluoric acid (HF), formic acid (HCOOH), nitrous acid (HNO) 2).
In a strong acid, the pH is lower than it is, generally 3. A strong acid has a very high amount of H + ions (acids with a pH of 3 have 0.001 moles per liter of hydrogen ions).  A weak acid has a pH between 3 –7.
The value of PKA is relatively low.The value of PKA is very high.
HCl (G) + H2O (L).  H3O + (aq) + Cl− (AQ)CH3COOH (l) + H2O (l) + H3O + (aq) + CH3COO− (AQ)