hello when a reaction is a weak electrolyte like for example; acetic acid, it will be represented with an equilibrium arrow, but that equilibrium arrow is just used to point out that its a weak electrolyte. Now if you dont want to point that out, but just figure out the nature of reaction, do we use a "complete reaction" arrow like: C2H4O2 (aq)

Question

hello when a reaction is a weak electrolyte like for example; acetic acid, it will be represented with an equilibrium arrow, but that equilibrium arrow is just used to point out that its a weak electrolyte. Now if you dont want to point that out, but just figure out the nature of reaction, do we use a "complete reaction" arrow like: C2H4O2 (aq) <---- H+ (aq) + C2H3O2- (aq)  ? 

Thanks in advance.

anonymous · Answer

Well no. Acetic acid is a weak electrolyte, more importantly it's a weak acid. Meaning not all of it ionizes into H+ ions. You'd have a high concentration of C2H402 the reactant instead of the products H+ and C2H302. To show this chemically, we put a double arrow <----> in between the weak acid (weak electrolyte same) and the products. So the reaction is not complete.

anonymous · Answer

But the K is very very LOW. And if the K is very low or very high, then we classify the reaction as complete.

anonymous · Answer

What is K?

anonymous · Answer

@reactionrate

anonymous · Answer

I only found this : Acidity (pKa)	4.76

anonymous · Answer

But thats not the K

anonymous · Answer

I mean what does K stand for?

anonymous · Answer

it stands for the equilibrium constant, it shows you where the equilibrium is located.