In two or more sentences, explain why concentration and strength are separate properties of acids and bases.

1 answer

Concentration and strength are separate properties of acids and bases because concentration refers to the amount of acid or base present in a solution, typically expressed in molarity (moles per liter), while strength indicates the degree to which an acid or base dissociates into ions in solution. For instance, a concentrated strong acid like hydrochloric acid (HCl) completely dissociates in water, whereas a dilute strong acid will have fewer moles of HCl but still fully dissociates. On the other hand, a weak acid, such as acetic acid, can be concentrated yet only partially dissociates, demonstrating that strength and concentration can vary independently.