Does a weak base have a lot of OH- or very little

1 answer

A weak base does not produce a lot of hydroxide ions (OH⁻) in solution. Unlike strong bases, which fully dissociate in water to produce a high concentration of OH⁻, weak bases only partially dissociate. This means that in a solution of a weak base, the concentration of hydroxide ions is relatively low compared to strong bases.

For example, consider ammonia (NH₃), a common weak base. When it is dissolved in water, it only partially reacts to form hydroxide ions:

\[ \text{NH}_3 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightleftharpoons \text{NH}_4^+ + \text{OH}^- \]

As a result, the concentration of OH⁻ ions in a solution of a weak base will be much lower than that in a strong base.