What is meant by the self-ionization of water?

1 Answer
anor277
Jan 15, 2018

It refers to the autoprotolysis reaction....

Explanation:

#2H_2O(l) rightleftharpoons H_3O^+ + HO^-#

Water undergoes a measurable self-ionization....and under standard conditions, we write....

#K_"autoprotolysis of water"=10^-14=[H_3O^+][HO^-]#

And we can further use this expression by taking #log_10# of both sides.....

#pK_a=14=pH+pOH#...where #pH=-log_10[H_3O^+]#, and #pOH=-log_10[HO^-]#

Under non-standard conditions, i.e. #T=373*K#, how would you expect the equilibrium to evolve? Would it shift left or right?

Related questions
Impact of this question
1543 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License