Vocabulary Terms

Any substance that generates hydronium ions, H3O+, when added to water. Also, a substance that donates protons, H+, in an acid‑base reaction. An Acidic solution, therefore, is one with a significant concentration of hydronium ions, H3O+. 

Substances that have the general formula of HX(aq), where X is one of the first four halogens: HF(aq), HCl(aq), HBr(aq), and HI(aq). 

Molecular substances that have the general formula HaXbOc. In other words, they contain hydrogen, oxygen, and one other element represented by X; the a, b, and c are subscripts.

An acid that donates one hydrogen ion per molecule in a reaction. 

An acid that can donate more than one hydrogen ion per molecule in a reaction. 

An acid that donates its H+ ions to water in a reaction that goes completely to products. Such a compound produces close to one H3O+ ion in solution for each acid molecule dissolved in water. 

A reaction in which the reactants are constantly forming products and, at the same time, the products are reforming the reactants. 

A substance that is incompletely ionized in water due to the reversibility of the reaction that forms hydronium ions, H3O+, in water. Weak acids yield significantly less than one H3O+ ion in solution for each acid molecule dissolved in water. 

A substance that produces hydroxide ions, OH-, when added to water. Also, a substance that accepts protons, H+, in an acid‑base reaction. A basic solution, therefore, is one with a significant concentration of hydroxide ions, OH-. 

A substance that generates at least one hydroxide ion in solution for every unit of substance added to water.