What term describes the chemical capacity of water to neutralize acids?

The term that describes the chemical capacity of water to neutralize acids is alkalinity. Alkalinity is a measure of the buffering capacity of water, referring specifically to the presence of substances that can react with hydrogen ions (H+) in acidic solutions. This property is primarily due to bicarbonates, carbonates, and hydroxides present in water.

Alkalinity plays a crucial role in water quality management as it helps stabilize pH levels in aquatic environments. A well-buffered system with adequate alkalinity can resist changes in pH when acids are introduced, thereby maintaining a healthy environment for aquatic life and preventing rapid fluctuations that could be harmful.

On the other hand, acidity refers to the concentration of hydrogen ions in water, pH is a scale used to measure how acidic or basic a solution is, and conductivity measures the water's ability to conduct electricity, which relates to the concentration of ions in the water but does not specifically address the neutralization of acids.