HC3H5O3 AQUEOUS EQUILIBRIA – PART 3

HNO2
Question of the Day:  What is the H+1 concentration in a sample of lake water removed from Lake
Michigan that has an OH-1 concentration of 4.65 x 10-9M?  What is the pH of this water sample?

Questions to answer during lecture!

1. _________________ do not dissociate 100% in solution, and therefore require algebra to solve
for the concentration of H+1 in solution!

2. Answer the following questions as you follow the lecture!

Write the chemical equation for lactic acid dissociating in water, and fill in the known quantities for the
ICE for a .100M solution of lactic acid dissociating:

E
The general Ka for this reaction is: Ka = [H+1][C3H5O3-1]

[HC3H5O3]
Now fill in the general Ka expression with the appropriate algebra from your above ICE:

Solving for x, using Wolfram-Alpha, the quadratic formula, graphing this function and finding
its zeros, or using an appropriate quadratic solver, what is x?

X=

X represents the H+1 concentration at equilibrium – now solve for the pH:

- Log [H+1] =

Write the chemical equation for ammonia reacting with water, and fill in the known quantities for the
ICE for a .250M solution of ammonia reacting with water:
I

E
The general Kb for this reaction is: Kb = [NH4+1][ OH-1]

[NH3][HOH]

Now fill in the general Kb expression with the appropriate algebra from your above ICE:

Solving for x, using Wolfram-Alpha, the quadratic formula, graphing this function and finding
its zeros, or using an appropriate quadratic solver, what is x?

X=

X represents the OH-1 concentration at equilibrium – now solve for the pH:

- Log [OH-1] = pOH =

pH + pOH = 14, so pH =
Write the chemical equation for lactic acid dissociating in water and fill in the known quantities for the
ICE for a .100M solution of lactic acid mixed with a .100M solution of sodium lactate:

E
The general Ka for this reaction is: Ka = [H+1][C3H5O3-1]

[HC3H5O3]

Now fill in the general Ka expression with the appropriate algebra from your above ICE:
 Solving for x, using Wolfram-Alpha, the quadratic formula, graphing this function and finding
its zeros, or using an appropriate quadratic solver, what is x?

X=

X represents the H+1 concentration at equilibrium – now solve for the pH:

- Log [H+1] =

Using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, solve the same problem below:

Henderson Hasselbalch equation: pH = pKa + log [salt]

[acid]

3. Answer the following questions as you follow the lecture!

What must be the molarity of NH4Cl in a .10M solution of NH3 to form a buffer with a pH of
9.00? Assume that the addition of NH4Cl does not change the volume of the solution. The Kb
for NH3 is 1.8 x 10-5.

Use the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation below to solve the above problem:

4. Answer the following questions as you follow the lecture!

A chemist has synthesized a weak monoprotic acid and wants to determine its Ka value. To do
so, the chemist dissolves .85 grams of the solid acid into water and titrates the solution. At the
halfway point – point 2 on the graph – 22 mL of .10M NaOH has been used, the pH is equal to 6.
What is the Ka for the acid? What is the molar mass of the acid?

Using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, and the fraction method, solve this problem below:

GUIDED PRACTICE PROBLEMS!

1. A sample of hypochlorous acid, which is used in bleach and pool chlorinator, has an initial
concentration of 0.0750M. Calculate the concentrations of H+1, ClO-1, and HClO at equilibrium.
The Ka for hypochlorous acid is 3.50 x 10-8. What is the pH of this solution?

2. Niacin, or nicotinic acid, HC6H4NO2, is a precursor to NADH, NAD, NAD+, and NADP, which
play essential metabolic roles in living cells. It is also known as vitamin B-3. If niacin has a Ka
of 1.50 x 10-5, then what is the pH of a .0100 M solution of nicotinic acid?
3. Phenylacetic acid, HC8H7O2, accumulates in the blood of individuals with PKU, an inherited
disorder that can cause mental retardation or even death. Calculate the pH of a .085M sample of
this solution, if the Ka for phenylacetic acid is Ka = 5.3 x 10-5.

4. Ethylamine (C2H5NH2) is an important base used in the production of many organic compounds.
What is the molar concentration of hydroxide ions in a .0750M solution of ethylamine? What is
the pH of the solution? The Kb for ethylamine is 4.00 x 10-6. Ethylamine reacts with water to
form C2H5NH3+1 and OH-1.

5. Up to 200 pounds of ammonia can be applied to each acre of agricultural crop a year in this
country to provide plants with nitrogen, an essential element. What is the concentration of
hydroxide ion in a .150M solution of ammonia? What is the pH of this solution? The Kb for
ammonia is 1.80 x 10-5. NH3 reacts with water to form NH4+1 and OH-1.

6. Propionic acid (HC3H5O2) is used as a preservative in baked goods. Often, potassium propionate
is used in conjunction to buffer the acid and its effect. What is the pH of a .0850M solution of
propionic acid, in .0600M potassium propionate (KC3H5O2)? The Ka for propionic acid is 1.34 x
10-5.

7. What is the pH of a solution made by adding 0.300 mol of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and .0300
mol of sodium ascorbate, to enough water to make 1.00 L of solution? The Ka for ascorbic acid
(HC6H7O6) is 7.9 x 10-5. Buffers containing ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate are used in
vitamin C tablets.

8. An unknown monoprotic acid is discovered to have restored mitochondrial function in rats,

thereby killing cancer cells. This acid is isolated, and a 1.550 g sample of it is dissolved in 50.00
mL water for titration. After it is titrated to 75.00% completion with 90.23 mL of .1M sodium
hydroxide solution, the pH of the solution is 1.960. a. What is the Ka of the acid? B. What is
the molar mass of the unknown acid? The full titration curve is shown below: