ABSTRACT
As K a values are very small numbers, a logarithmic scale is often referred to; the negative
logarithm, to the base 10, of K a is expressed as pK
Kb An analogous situation to that shown above for acids occurs when a base is dissolved in water; in this situation water will act as an acid (Section N1). An equilibrium is set up with a rate constant for the forward reaction that depends on the concentration of the protonated base, hydroxide ions, and is inversely dependent on the concentration of the original base (again with the assumption that dilute solutions are being employed).
