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Weak Base

Definition

A weak base is one that does not completely dissociate into its ions in water.

Analogy

Imagine you have a bag full of candy and you only share some pieces but keep most for yourself. That's what weak bases do - they only partially give up their hydroxide ions when dissolved in water.

Related terms

Base Dissociation Constant (Kb): The equilibrium constant for the reaction of a base with water to form conjugate acid and hydroxide ion.

pOH: It measures the basicity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution on a logarithmic scale.

Hydroxide Ion (OH-): The negative ion formed by one oxygen bonded to one hydrogen; it can be found in many bases.

"Weak Base" appears in:

Practice Questions (1)

  • Which of the following statements best describes the difference between a strong base and a weak base?


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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.