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In an acid, a smaller pKa means more or less acidic?

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Final answer:

The smaller the pKa, the stronger the acid.

Step-by-step explanation:

The smaller the pKa, the stronger the acid. The pKa is a quantitative measure of acid strength. For example, acetic acid (CH3COOH, pKa=4.76) is a stronger acid than ethanol (CH3CH2OH, pKa=15.9). A smaller pKa value corresponds to a larger acid ionization constant and a stronger acid.

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