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The position of equilibrium varies from base to base when a weak base reacts with water. The further to the left it is, the weaker the base. [5] When there is a hydrogen ion gradient between two sides of the biological membrane, the concentration of some weak bases are focused on only one side of the membrane. [6]
A strong base is a basic chemical compound that can remove a proton (H +) from (or deprotonate) a molecule of even a very weak acid (such as water) in an acid–base reaction. Common examples of strong bases include hydroxides of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, like NaOH and Ca(OH)
Water is the chemical substance with chemical formula H 2 O; one molecule of water has two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to a single oxygen atom. [26] Water is a tasteless, odorless liquid at ambient temperature and pressure. Liquid water has weak absorption bands at wavelengths of around 750 nm which cause it to appear to have a blue color. [4]
In water, OH − is the strongest base. Thus, even though sodium amide (NaNH 2) is an exceptional base (pK a of NH 3 ~ 33), in water it is only as good as sodium hydroxide. On the other hand, NaNH 2 is a far more basic reagent in ammonia than is NaOH. The pH range allowed by a particular solvent is called the acid-base discrimination window. [1]
Water is also central to acid-base neutrality and enzyme function. An acid, a hydrogen ion (H +, that is, a proton) donor, can be neutralized by a base, a proton acceptor such as a hydroxide ion (OH −) to form water. Water is considered to be neutral, with a pH (the negative log of the hydrogen ion concentration) of 7 in an ideal state.
The essence of Brønsted–Lowry theory is that an acid is only such in relation to a base, and vice versa. Water is amphoteric as it can act as an acid or as a base. In the image shown at the right one molecule of H 2 O acts as a base and gains H + to become H 3 O + while the other acts as an acid and loses H + to become OH −.
On the other hand, if a chemical is a weak acid its conjugate base will not necessarily be strong. Consider that ethanoate, the conjugate base of ethanoic acid, has a base splitting constant (Kb) of about 5.6 × 10 −10, making it a weak base. In order for a species to have a strong conjugate base it has to be a very weak acid, like water.
A common kind of hydrolysis occurs when a salt of a weak acid or weak base (or both) is dissolved in water. Water spontaneously ionizes into hydroxide anions and hydronium cations. The salt also dissociates into its constituent anions and cations. For example, sodium acetate dissociates in water into sodium and acetate ions.