Refreshing General Chemistry Why Review General Chemistry? Acids and Bases
Acids and Bases
Estimated reading time: 1 min
In this chapter
In this section
Topics
- Brønsted-Lowry definitions
- Conjugate acids and bases
- Equilibrium
- pKa
- Factors affecting acidity
What to Focus On
Focus on the Brønsted-Lowry framework — proton donors are acids, proton acceptors are bases — since organic chemistry uses this definition almost exclusively.
pKa is the key tool: lower pKa means stronger acid. More important than calculating pKa values is being able to compare them and predict which direction a reaction favors. The factors that affect acidity — electronegativity, atomic size, and resonance stabilization of the conjugate base — reappear in nearly every chapter of Organic Chemistry I.
Why It Matters
Acid-base chemistry appears repeatedly throughout Organic Chemistry I.
Many instructors consider this the single most important topic to understand well.
Recommended Resources
Reading
OpenStax Chemistry 2e
Videos
Gentle Exercises
Identify:
- Acids
- Bases
- Conjugate acids
- Conjugate bases
Explain:
Why is HCl more acidic than CH₄?