Question

Why do weak acid-weak base reactions not go to completion?


There are not enough molecules in solution to react with each other.

The conjugate products are much weaker than the original acid and base.

Neither a weak acid nor a weak base has a strong tendency to transfer H+ ions.

Both weak acids and weak bases have a strong tendency to transfer H+ ions, so they cancel each other out.

Answer 1

Neither a weak acid nor a weak base has a strong tendency to transfer H+ ions that is why weak acid-weak base reactions not go to completion.

Answer 2

Answer: Option (c) is the correct answer.

Explanation:

Weak acid and weak bases are the species that dissociate weakly in a solvent or water.

For example, acetic acid ($CH_{3}COOH$) is a weak acid and it dissociates poorly in water.

Hence, we can say that due to weak dissociation there will less formation of hydrogen or hydroxide ions upon dissociation of weak acid or weak base. Therefore, due to lack of sufficient number of ions the reaction will not go to completion.

Thus, we can conclude that weak acid-weak base reactions not go to completion because neither a weak acid nor a weak base has a strong tendency to transfer $H^+$ ions.