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Chapter 5

Acid-Base Reactions

Theories of acids and bases, pH and the ionisation of water, weak acid/base equilibria (Ka), salt hydrolysis, and how buffer solutions resist pH change.

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Quick Revision for this chapter →Chapter Assessment →

Theories of Acids and Bases

Arrhenius TheoryEasy
Brønsted–Lowry TheoryMedium

Ionic Dissociation of Water and pH

The Ionic Product of Water, KwMedium
The pH ScaleMedium

Ionisation of Acids and Bases

Strong and Weak AcidsMedium
The Acid Dissociation Constant, KaHard
Strong and Weak BasesMedium

Salt Hydrolysis

Salt HydrolysisHard

Buffer Solutions

How Buffer Solutions WorkMedium
The Henderson–Hasselbalch EquationHard

Try it yourself

🔬 pH Scale

Test the pH of everyday liquids and see how concentration changes acidity and basicity on the pH scale.

Try this: Switch between different liquids (coffee, soap, water...) and dilute the liquid with the water tap.

Look for: Watch how diluting an acid or base moves its pH toward 7 (neutral) without ever fully reaching it.

Simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder — licensed CC BY-NC. View on phet.colorado.edu ↗

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