What characterizes a strong acid?

A strong acid is characterized by its ability to completely dissociate in solution. This means that when a strong acid is dissolved in water, it breaks apart entirely into its constituent ions, releasing a high concentration of hydrogen ions (H⁺). The complete dissociation contributes to the low pH of the solution, which is a hallmark of strong acids.

In contrast, a weak acid would only partially dissociate in solution, which is not the case for strong acids. The concept of low pH is indeed related to strong acids, but it's crucial to note that it’s primarily the complete dissociation that leads to this low pH, rather than merely having a low pH without dissociation. Furthermore, while strong acids can react with weak bases, this is not a defining characteristic of strong acids; rather, their complete dissociation is what distinguishes them from weak acids.