What is percent ionization?

Percent ionization is a measure of the extent to which a substance has ionized (dissociated into ions) in a solution. It is calculated as the ratio of the concentration of ionized species to the initial concentration of the substance, multiplied by 100.

For example, if a solution of a weak acid has a concentration of 0.1 M and the percent ionization is 5%, this means that 5% of the acid molecules have dissociated into ions (H+ and the conjugate base). The remaining 95% of the molecules are still intact.

Percent ionization is an important parameter in determining the strength of acids and bases, as well as the acidity or basicity of a solution. Strong acids typically have a high percent ionization, while weak acids have a lower percent ionization. The higher the percent ionization, the more acidic the solution is.

In general, percent ionization can be influenced by factors such as the concentration of the substance, temperature, and the nature of the solvent. It is commonly used in analytical chemistry and chemical equilibrium calculations to understand the behavior of weak acids and bases in solution.