Ionisatsiooniastet

Ionisatsiooniastet, often translated as degree of ionization, is a concept used in chemistry and physics to describe the extent to which a substance has dissociated into ions. It is typically represented by the symbol alpha (α). This degree is a ratio of the number of ionized molecules or atoms to the total number of molecules or atoms in a sample. A value of α = 0 means no ionization has occurred, while α = 1 signifies complete ionization.

The degree of ionization is influenced by several factors, including the concentration of the substance, temperature, and the presence of other ions in the solution (common ion effect). For weak electrolytes, the degree of ionization is generally low and increases with dilution. For strong electrolytes, it is close to one, indicating almost complete dissociation into ions even at moderate concentrations.

Understanding the degree of ionization is crucial for calculating properties like conductivity of solutions, equilibrium concentrations in acid-base reactions, and the behavior of plasma. It helps quantify how effectively a substance can conduct electricity or participate in ionic reactions. The Ostwald's dilution law relates the degree of ionization of a weak electrolyte to its concentration and dissociation constant.