An analogous comparison can be made for weak bases looking at K b. The largest K b will protonate to the greatest extent in water and form the highest concentration of the hydroxide ions. The smallest K b will form the lowest concentration of hydroxide in water. Finally, a safety note. Weak acids/bases are not "weak" in the sense that they are
We've already talked about why the hydroxide ion is a strong nucleophile, and we notice from experience that hydroxide is a strong base. So something like sodium hydroxide is used all the time in general chemistry. If we replace the hydrogen with an alkyl group, we form an alkoxide ion which functions in a similar way to the hydroxide ion. So As sodium hydroxide is a very strong base, its conjugate acid is supposed to be weak, and water is a weak acid only. The conjugate acid of NaOH is Water ie; H2O The Conjugate acid-base concept determines the relative strength of acid and base. Salts of Weak Acids and Strong Bases. When we neutralize a weak acid with a strong base, we get a salt that contains the conjugate base of the weak acid. This conjugate base is usually a weak base. For example, sodium acetate, NaCH 3 CO 2, is a salt formed by the reaction of the weak acid acetic acid with the strong base sodium hydroxide: hQLm.