What is a strong acid?

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Multiple Choice

What is a strong acid?

Explanation:
A strong acid is one that fully ionises in water, releasing protons to create a large concentration of hydronium ions (H3O+). This means the dissociation goes to completion, so essentially every acid molecule donates a proton and forms its conjugate base. Because of this, the solution is highly acidic (very low pH) and conducts electricity well due to the many free ions. Other descriptions—partial ionisation (weak acids), no ionisation, or a large temperature rise—do not define how completely the acid dissociates in water, which is the key feature that distinguishes a strong acid.

A strong acid is one that fully ionises in water, releasing protons to create a large concentration of hydronium ions (H3O+). This means the dissociation goes to completion, so essentially every acid molecule donates a proton and forms its conjugate base. Because of this, the solution is highly acidic (very low pH) and conducts electricity well due to the many free ions. Other descriptions—partial ionisation (weak acids), no ionisation, or a large temperature rise—do not define how completely the acid dissociates in water, which is the key feature that distinguishes a strong acid.

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