90. Ionic Compounds in Aqueous Solution
91. Brønsted-Lowry Acids and Bases
92. pH and pOH
93. Relative Strengths of Acids and Bases: ionization constants.
94. Relative Strengths of Acids and Bases: effect of molecular structure
95. Hydrolysis of Salt Solutions
96. Polyprotic Acids
97. Buffers
98. Acid-Base Titrations
Liquid water is essential to life on our planet, and chemistry involving the characteristic ions of water, H
+ and OH
–, is widely encountered in nature and society. As introduced in another chapter of this text, acid-base chemistry involves the transfer of hydrogen ions from donors (acids) to acceptors (bases). These H+ transfer reactions are reversible, and the equilibria established by acid-base systems are essential aspects of phenomena ranging from sinkhole formation
(Figure 89.1) to oxygen transport in the human body. This chapter will further explore acid-base chemistry with an emphasis on the equilibrium aspects of this important reaction class.

FIGURE 89-1: Sinkholes such as this are the result of reactions between acidic groundwaters and basic rock formations, like limestone. (credit: modification of work by Emil Kehnel)