Which of the following is a characteristic of weak acids?

Weak acids are characterized by their ability to partially dissociate in solution. This means that when a weak acid is dissolved in water, only a fraction of the acid molecules release hydrogen ions (H⁺), while the rest remain intact as undissociated molecules. This partial dissociation results in a situation where the concentration of free hydrogen ions in the solution is lower compared to strong acids, which dissociate completely.

This characteristic leads to various implications, such as a relatively higher pH in a solution of a weak acid compared to a strong acid of the same concentration. Because weak acids do not fully ionize, they exhibit less conductive properties than strong acids, which are strong electrolytes, but this is not the defining characteristic of weak acids themselves.

Understanding this behavior is essential for predicting the acid's strength, its effect on pH, the extent of hydrogen ion concentration, and how they interact with bases in neutralization reactions.