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Amino Acids and Henderson-Hasselbalch definitions

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  • Amino Acid
    Organic molecule containing ionizable groups, each of which can independently interact with solution pH and pKa.
  • Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation
    Mathematical formula relating solution pH to pKa and the ratio of conjugate base to conjugate acid concentrations.
  • pH
    Numerical measure of solution acidity, determined by the equilibrium between ionizable groups and their conjugate forms.
  • pKa
    Value indicating the strength of an ionizable group, used to predict its protonation state at a given pH.
  • Ionizable Group
    Functional component of a molecule capable of gaining or losing protons, affecting net charge and equilibrium.
  • Conjugate Base
    Species formed when an ionizable group loses a proton, influencing the ratio used in equilibrium calculations.
  • Conjugate Acid
    Species resulting from an ionizable group retaining a proton, used in determining solution pH via equilibrium.
  • Equilibrium
    State where concentrations of acid and base forms remain constant, allowing calculation of final pH.
  • Net Charge
    Sum of charges from all ionizable groups in a molecule, determined by their protonation states at a specific pH.
  • Weak Acid
    Substance that partially dissociates in solution, requiring equilibrium calculations to determine pH.
  • Concentration
    Amount of a specific chemical species in solution, used in the ratio for the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation.
  • Logarithm
    Mathematical function applied to the ratio of base to acid concentrations in the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation.
  • Practice Problem
    Example scenario used to apply concepts such as pH calculation and net charge determination for amino acids.