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Acid Base Equilibrium definitions

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  • Lewis Acid
    Species that accepts an electron pair, often indicated by a positive charge or specific functional groups like carboxylic acids.
  • Lewis Base
    Species that donates an electron pair, typically recognized by a negative charge or lone pairs after dissociation.
  • pKa
    Numerical value expressing acid strength; lower values indicate stronger acids, guiding equilibrium direction.
  • Spectator Ion
    Ion, often from Group 1 metals, that does not participate in the acid-base reaction and is ignored in equilibrium analysis.
  • Conjugate Acid
    Species formed when a base gains a proton, serving as the acid in the reverse reaction.
  • Conjugate Base
    Species formed when an acid loses a proton, acting as the base in the reverse reaction.
  • Carboxylic Acid
    Functional group containing a carbonyl and hydroxyl, commonly recognized as an acid in equilibrium problems.
  • Equilibrium Direction
    Preferred side of a reaction, determined by comparing pKa values; favors formation of weaker acids and bases.
  • Acidity
    Measure of a species' tendency to donate a proton, directly related to its pKa value.
  • Ionic Bond
    Electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions, often seen with spectator ions in solution.
  • Cation
    Positively charged ion, such as sodium or potassium, frequently acting as a spectator in acid-base reactions.
  • Functional Group
    Specific group of atoms within molecules, like carboxylic acid, that determines chemical reactivity in acid-base contexts.
  • Neutral Compound
    Molecule with no net charge, requiring pKa comparison to assign acid or base roles in equilibrium.
  • Row 1 Metal
    Element from the first column of the periodic table, such as lithium or sodium, often forming spectator ions.