Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Weak bases are substances that partially ionize in water, producing a relatively small number of hydroxide ions ($OH^-$). They have a higher $pH$ compared to strong acids but do not completely dissociate in solution.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Weak bases have a $K_b$ (base dissociation constant) value less than 1, indicating partial ionization.
Common examples include ammonia ($NH_3$) and methylamine ($CH_3NH_2$).
The $pH$ of weak base solutions is typically between 7 and 10.
In chemical reactions, weak bases often react with weak acids to form buffers.
Titration curves for weak bases show a gradual slope rather than a sharp change.
Review Questions
Related terms
Strong Base: A substance that completely ionizes in water, producing a large number of hydroxide ions ($OH^-$).
$K_b$ (Base Dissociation Constant): $K_b$ measures the extent to which a base dissociates into its ions in water.
$pH$: $pH$ is the measure of acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution, with lower values being acidic and higher values being basic.