1. What is Percent Dissociation?

Definition: Percent dissociation measures what percentage of a substance has dissociated (broken apart) into ions in solution.

Purpose: It helps chemists understand the extent of dissociation of acids, bases, or salts in solution, which is crucial for pH calculations and equilibrium studies.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( \%D \) — Percent dissociation (%)
• \( \alpha \) — Degree of dissociation (dimensionless, between 0 and 1)

Explanation: The degree of dissociation (α) is multiplied by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

3. Importance of Percent Dissociation

Details: Knowing the percent dissociation helps determine acid/base strength, predict solution conductivity, and understand chemical equilibrium behavior.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the degree of dissociation (α) as a value between 0 (no dissociation) and 1 (complete dissociation).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does α = 0.5 mean?
A: A degree of dissociation of 0.5 means 50% of the substance has dissociated into ions.

Q2: How is degree of dissociation determined experimentally?
A: It can be determined through conductivity measurements, pH measurements, or spectroscopic methods.

Q3: What's the difference between strong and weak acids in terms of dissociation?
A: Strong acids have α ≈ 1 (nearly 100% dissociation), while weak acids have α < 1 (partial dissociation).

Q4: Can percent dissociation exceed 100%?
A: No, the maximum percent dissociation is 100%, which corresponds to complete dissociation (α = 1).

Q5: How does temperature affect percent dissociation?
A: For endothermic dissociation processes, increasing temperature increases α. For exothermic processes, it decreases α.