What characterizes a strong acid in terms of Ka and pKa?

A strong acid is characterized by its complete ionization in solution, which translates to a high acid dissociation constant (Ka). The Ka value quantifies the strength of an acid in equilibrium with its conjugate base. For a strong acid, this value is significantly larger than one, indicating that at equilibrium, the concentration of the dissociated products (ions) is much higher than that of the undissociated acid.

The relationship between Ka and pKa is inversely logarithmic, as pKa is defined as the negative base-10 logarithm of the Ka value. Thus, when Ka is high, indicating a strong acid, the pKa value will consequently be low. This low pKa signifies that the acid is effective at donating protons (H⁺) to the solution.

In summary, a strong acid is associated with a high Ka value, reflecting its strong ionization in solution, and a low pKa, indicating the acid's readiness to donate protons.