The acid dissociation constant, often represented as $K_a$, quantifies the strength of an acid in solution by measuring the extent to which it donates protons to water. A higher $K_a$ value indicates a stronger acid that dissociates more completely in solution, while a lower $K_a$ reflects a weaker acid. This constant is crucial for understanding equilibrium in acid-base reactions, predicting pH levels in buffer solutions, and determining the points during titrations where the concentrations of acid and base are equal.
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