When classifying acids as strong or weak, it’s essential to understand how well they dissociate in water. Strong acids completely dissociate into their ions in aqueous solution, while weak acids only partially dissociate.
- HNO3 (Nitric acid): This is a strong acid. It completely dissociates in water, releasing hydrogen ions (H+) and nitrate ions (NO3–).
- HCl (Hydrochloric acid): This is also a strong acid. It fully dissociates in water to form hydrogen ions and chloride ions (Cl–).
- HBr (Hydrobromic acid): HBr is classified as a strong acid as well. Like HCl, it fully dissociates into hydrogen ions and bromide ions (Br–).
- H2SO3 (Sulfurous acid): This is a weak acid. It does not completely dissociate in water; instead, it partially ionizes to release hydrogen ions and bisulfite ions (HSO3–).
In summary, HNO3, HCl, and HBr are strong acids, while H2SO3 is a weak acid due to its partial dissociation in solutions.