PKa

PKa

The PKa (pronounced as P-K-a) is a term used in Chemistry and Biochemistry to denote the acid dissociation constant. It is a quantitative measure of the strength of an acid in solution.

Etymology

The term PKa is derived from the Swedish term "Potens", meaning power, and "Ka", the symbol for the acid dissociation constant.

Definition

The PKa value is defined as the negative logarithm (base 10) of the acid dissociation constant (Ka) of a solution. It is used to indicate the acidity or basicity of a substance. The lower the PKa value, the stronger the acid. Conversely, the higher the PKa value, the weaker the acid.

Related Terms

• Acid Dissociation Constant: The measure of the strength of an acid in solution.
• Logarithm: The mathematical concept used in the calculation of PKa.
• Acid: A substance that donates protons or hydrogen ions and/or accepts electrons.
• Base (chemistry): A substance that can accept protons or donate a pair of valence electrons.
• pH: A measure of the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution.

See Also

• Henderson-Hasselbalch equation: An equation that describes the derivation of pH as a measure of acidity using pKa, the acid dissociation constant.
• Buffer solution: A solution that can resist changes in pH when small amounts of an acid or a base are added.

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