Kw (Water Dissociation Constant)

Definition

The water dissociation constant, Kw, is the equilibrium constant for the self-ionization of water into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions. It's a measure of the concentration of these ions in pure water at a specific temperature.

Related terms

Autoprotolysis: The process by which water ionizes itself into hydrogen and hydroxide ions.

Equilibrium Constant (K):

A number that expresses the relationship between the amounts of products and reactants present at equilibrium in a chemical reaction.

pH Scale: A logarithmic scale used to specify the acidity or basicity/alkalinity of an aqueous solution.