Which of the following is a characteristic of a weak acid?

A characteristic of a weak acid is that they partially dissociate in solution. This means that when a weak acid is dissolved in water, only a fraction of the acid molecules release their hydrogen ions (H+) into the solution, while the rest remain in their undissociated form. This partial ionization results in an equilibrium between the undissociated acid and the ions produced.

In contrast, strong acids completely ionize in solution, which means they fully dissociate into ions. This reflects a different behavior that is not characteristic of weak acids. Weak acids also do not fall under the category of not dissociating at all, as they do release some ions, just not to the extent of strong acids. Additionally, weak acids are not strong electrolytes; they do not conduct electricity as effectively as strong electrolytes do because of their limited ionization. Therefore, the defining characteristic of weak acids is their partial dissociation in solution.