Im reading that ionization of an acid is exothermic, but im also reading that dissociation of an acid is endothermic...
So I am thinking that dissociation is just referring to the process of H+ leaving, while ionization is the process of H+ leaving and also forming H3O+? Thus bond breaking is still endothermic (which is dissociation), but for ionization you are breaking and forming bonds, and forming the bond is more exothermic than breaking it, so you have an overall exothermic process?
Hopefully this makes sense...
Thanks!!