Topic 12: Acid-Base Equilibria Flashcards
Define a Bronsted-Lowry acid
A proton donor
e.g. HCl is a Bronsted-Lowry acid, as it donates a proton:
HCl —> H+ + Cl-
Which ions make solutions acidic?
Hydroxonium ions
H3O+
Define a Bronsted-Lowry base
A proton acceptor
e.g. OH - is a Bronsted-Lowry base, as it accepts a proton:
OH- + H+ —-> H2O
What are conjugate acid-base pairs?
A pair of reactants and products that are linked to each other by the transfer of a proton
How do you identify acid-base conjugate pairs?
Acid = acid formula
Conjugate acid = gains a proton
Base = base formula
Conjugate base = loses a proton
Define the term pH
the acidity of an aqueous solution depends on the number of H+ ions in solution.
It is defined as -log10[H+]
pH equation
pH = -log10[H+]
Hydrogen ion concentration
[H+] = 10^-pH
What is a strong acid?
A strong acid fully dissociates in solution
e.g. H2SO4, HCl, HNO3
What is a weak acid?
Partially dissociates in aqueous solution
e.g. CH3CH2COOH, HCN
How do you calculate the pH of a strong acid?
-log10[H+]
What is Ka, and when is it used?
Ka is the acid dissociation constant, and is used for weak acids.
What is the Ka expression?
Ka = [H+] [A-]
————
[HA]
What assumptions are made when writing the equilibrium expression for weak acids?
The concentration of hydrogen ions due to the ionisation of water is negligible
What do Ka values indicate about dissociation?
The higher the value of Ka the more dissociated the acid and the stronger it is
The lower the value of Ka the weaker the acid
Equation for pH of a weak acid
-log10(√(Ka ×[weak acid]) )