Rank these compounds in order of increasing hyroxide ion concentration: weak base, weak acid, strong base, strong acid.

Wouldn't you think the strong base would have the strongest OH^-. The weak base would be the next strongest. And wouldn't you think the strong acid would have the weakest OH^-?

To rank these compounds in order of increasing hydroxide ion concentration, we need to consider their ionization or dissociation in water. Hydroxide ions (OH-) are formed when compounds donate hydroxide ions to the surrounding water molecules.

The concentration of hydroxide ions in a solution depends on the extent of ionization or dissociation of the compound. Strong acids and strong bases ionize completely in water, while weak acids and weak bases ionize only partially.

Here is the ranking in increasing order of hydroxide ion concentration:

1. Strong acid: Strong acids, such as hydrochloric acid (HCl) or sulfuric acid (H2SO4), dissociate fully in water, releasing a high concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) and very low concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-). Therefore, a strong acid will have the lowest concentration of hydroxide ions.

2. Weak acid: Weak acids, such as acetic acid (CH3COOH) or citric acid (C6H8O7), only partially dissociate in water, resulting in a small concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) and consequently a slightly higher concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-) compared to a strong acid.

3. Weak base: Weak bases, such as ammonia (NH3) or methylamine (CH3NH2), also ionize partially in water, producing a small concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-) and a slightly higher concentration of the non-ionized form of the base. Therefore, a weak base will have a higher concentration of hydroxide ions compared to both strong and weak acids.

4. Strong base: Strong bases, like sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH), ionize completely in water, resulting in a high concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-) and a very low concentration of the non-ionized form of the base. A strong base will have the highest concentration of hydroxide ions among the given compounds.

Remember, this ranking is based on the assumption that all the compounds are dissolved in water. The actual concentrations may vary in different solvent systems or depending on other factors.