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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1997  > July  >
Information • Textbooks • Media • Resources
Ionization or Dissociation?
Emeric Schultz
Cover
July 1997
Vol. 74 No. 7
p. 868
Abstract
The use of the terms Dissociation and Ionization in the teaching of chemistry is discussed. It is suggested that the term dissociation, and what it suggests in terms of ordinary language, is inappropriate when used in certain contexts. Since an alternate and more physically correct term, specifically ionization, is available for these contexts, it is argued that this term be used consistently in these contexts. The contexts in which the term dissociation and dissociation constant cause problems is primarily in the area of ionization of weak and strong acids and of weak bases. The author surveys several textbooks as to their usage of the terms ionization and dissociation. It is pointed out that some textbooks use these terms inconsistently. For the sake of clarity and for congruity with the actual chemistry taking place, it is suggested that the term ionization and ionization constant be used exclusively in those contexts in which ions are formed from nonionic species. The term dissociation should be used only in the context of species breaking into their component parts; it should no longer be used to describe processes that are actually ionizations.

See Letter re: this article.
More Information
*  Citation
 Schultz, Emeric. J. Chem. Educ. 1997 74 868.
*  Keywords
 Curriculum, Equilibrium, Nomenclature/Units/Symbols, Teaching/Learning Aids, Textbooks
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 July 28, 1999
June 23, 2005
Link to Letter added (May 2004).
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