OCR A Chemistry A-Level

Module 5 - Physical Chemistry &

Transition Elements

Acids and Bases

Notes and Example Calculations
Answers given at the end of the booklet

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pH Acid Calculations

Strong Acids
To calculate the pH of acids you need to know the concentration of H​+​ ions that have been
dissociated. In strong acids this is straightforward because they completely dissociate. This
means the concentration of the acid = concentration of H​+​.

Once [H​+​] is calculated the pH can be found out by using the following equation:

If given the pH of the acid in solution and need to work out the concentration of the acid
use this equation:

Example 1:
​
Work out the pH of 0.5 mol dm​-3 HNO​
3​.

Step 1:​ Write the equation to work out the pH

pH = -log [H​+​]

Step 2:​ Input the concentration of the acid into the equation.

pH = -log (0.5)
= 0.3

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Example 2:
What is the [H​+​] ions in HCl, pH 4.3.

Step 1: Use the correct form of the equation.

[H​+​] = 10​-pH

Step 2: Input the pH value to find [H​+​].

[H​+​] = 10​-4.3
= ​5.01 x 10​-5
​

Weak Acids
Calculating the pH of weak acids is a bit more difficult as weak acids don’t fully dissociate in
solution. To calculate the pH of a weak acids you have to use the acid dissociation constant, Ka.

Example 3:
Write an expression for the acid dissociation constant, Ka for ethanoic acid:
CH3COOH ⇋ CH3COO​-​ + H​+

[Just like Kc , and Kp expressions it is always products over reactants.]

Ka = [CH​3​COO​-​ ][H​+​]
_________________

[CH​3​COOH]

Example 4:
Calculate the pH of a 0.025 mol dm​-3​ solution of methanoic acid. For HCOOH,
Ka = 1.58 x 10​-4​ mol dm​-3
HCOOH ⇋ HCOO​-​ + H​+

Step 1:​ Write the Ka expression for HCOOH.

Ka = [HCOO​-​] [H​+​]
_______________

​
[HCOOH]

Step 2:​ Rearrange the expression so that [H​+​] is the subject.

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[The assumption here is that [H​+​] = [HCOO​-​]]

⇒ ​[H​+​] = ​√(​​Ka x [HCOOH])

Step 3:​ Input the values into the equation to work out [H​+​].

[H​+​] = ​√(​​Ka x [HCOOH])

=​√​(1.58 x 10​-4​ x 0.025)
=1.987 x 10​-3

Step 4:​ Input the concentration of the H​+​ ions into the pH equation.

⇒ ​pH = -log [H​+​]

= -log(1.987 x 10​-3​)
= ​2.70

pKa is sometimes used instead of Ka to make numbers more manageable.

pKa = -log(Ka) Ka = 10​-pKa

​

Worked Exam Style Questions

Question 1

⇒ Ka = [H​+​] [C​6​H​5​O-​​ ]
________________

[C​6​H​5​OH]

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Step 1:​ Rearrange the Ka expression so that [H​+​] is the subject.

Ka = [H​+​]​2
___________

[C​6​H​5​OH]

⇒ [H​+​] = ​√(​​Ka x [C​6​H​5​OH])

Step 2:​ Change the concentration of phenol from gdm​-3​ to moldm​-3​.

[Divide by molecular mass (remember: mass = Mr x mol)]

Mr of phenol:
C x 6 - 12 x 6 = 72
Hx6-6x1=6
O x 1 - 16 x 1 = 16

⇒ 72 + 6 + 16 = 94

⇒ 4.7 / 94 = 0.05 mol dm​-3

Step 3:​ Input the values into the expression to work out [H​+​].

[H​+​] = ​√(​​Ka x [C6H5OH])

= ​√​ (1.3 x 10​-10​ x 0.05)
= 2.55 x 10​-6

Step 4:​ Input the concentration of the H​+​ ions into the pH equation.

⇒ pH = -log [H​+​]
= -log(2.55 x 10​-6 )​
= ​5.59

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Question 2

⇒ ​Ka = [H​+​​ ​][HCOO​-​​ ​]

________________

[HCOOH]

Step 1:​ Sub in the values into the Ka expression.

⇒ Ka = [H​+​]​2
___________

[HCOOH]

= (1.55 x 10​-3​)​2​ / 1.5 x 10​-2

= ​1.6 x 10​-4
​

Step 2: ​Use this value to calculate pKa.

⇒ pKa = -log(Ka)
= -log (1.6 x 10​-4​)
​ ​​
=​ 3.80

[Percentage dissociation = ([H​+​] / concentration of the acid) x 100]

⇒ 1.55 x 10​-3
____________
x​ 100 = ​10.3 %
0.015

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Try these questions…

1.

[3 marks]

2.

[3 marks]

pH Base Calculations

Strong Bases
Despite being covalent, water conducts electricity to a very small extent. This is due to the slight
ionisation:

H2O ⇋ H​+​ + OH​-

If we write the Kc expression for this dissociation it would be like this:

Kc = [H​+​][OH​-​]
____________

[H2O]

As the dissociation is small, the water concentration is very large compared with the dissociated
ions and any changes to its value are insignificant, its concentration can be regarded as
constant

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This new constant is Kw and is equal to [H​+​][OH​-​]. At room temperature Kw has a fixed value:

​ ​ mol​2​​ ​ dm​-6
Kw = 1 x 10​-14​ ​

Kw which is called the ​ionic product of water ​is used to calculate the pH of an alkali.

Example 1:
Work out the pH of 0.05 mol dm​-3​.

Step 1:​ Rearrange the Kw expression so that [H​+​] is subject.

Kw = [H​+​][OH​-​] = 1 x 10​-14

⇒ [H​+​] = Kw
_____

[OH​-​]

Step 2:​ Input values into the equation.

⇒ [H​+​] = 1 x 10​-14
__________

0.05

= 2 x 10​-13​ mol dm​-3

Step 3:​ Input [H​+​] to the pH equation.

⇒ pH = -log [H​+​]
= -log ( 2 x 10​-13​)
= ​12.7

Example 2:
Calculate the pH of 0.0450 mol dm​-3​ Ba(OH)​2​.

Step 1:​ Rearrange the Kw expression so that [H​+​] is subject.

Kw = [H​+​][OH​-​] = 1 x 10​-14

⇒ [H​+​] = Kw
_____

[OH​-​]

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Step 2:​ Input values into the equation.

⇒ [H​+​] = 1 x 10​-14
__________

(0.045 x 2)

[The concentration of the OH​-​ ions is multiplied by 2 because the ratio between barium ions and
hydroxide ions is 1:2]

⇒ 1.1 x 10​-13​ mol dm​-3

Step 3:​ Input [H​+​] to the pH equation.

⇒ pH = -log [H​+​]
= -log (1.1 x 10​-13​)
= ​12.95

Worked Exam Style Questions

Question 1

Step 1:​ Rearrange the Kw expression so that [H​+​] is subject.

Kw = [H​+​][OH​-​] = 1 x 10​-14

⇒ [H​+​] = Kw
_____

[OH​-​]

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Step 2:​ Input values into the equation.

⇒ [H​+​] = 1 x 10​-14
__________

(2.7 x 10​-3​ x 2)

[The concentration of the OH​-​ ions is multiplied by 2 because the ratio between calcium ions and
hydroxide ions is 1:2]

​
⇒ ​1.85 x 10​-12 mol dm​-3

Step 3:​ Input [H​+​] to the pH equation.

⇒ pH = -log [H​+​]
= -log (1.85 x 10​-12​)
= ​11.73

Try these questions…

3.

[3 marks]

4. Water dissociates slightly according to the equation:

H​2​O(I) ----> H​+​(aq) + OH​−​(aq)

The ionic product of water, ​K​w​, is given by the expression

K​w​ = [H​+​][OH​−​]

K​w​ varies with temperature as shown in the table.

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 Temperature / °C K​w​​ / mol​2​​ ​ dm​−6
​

25 1.00 × 10​−14

50 5.48 × 10​−14

Calculate the pH of pure water at 50 °C. Give your answer to 2 decimal places.

[3 marks]

Buffers

A buffer solution minimises changes in pH during the addition of small amounts of acid or alkali.
It is a mixture of weak acid and its conjugate base.

For example in a CH3COOH/CH3COONa buffer system CH3COOH is the weak acid and the
conjugate base is CH3COO​-​ .

The pH of a buffer solution is affected by the acid dissociation constant Ka and the
concentration ratio of the weak acid and its conjugate base.

For a buffer consisting of a weak acid, CH3COOH and its conjugate base, CH3COO​-​ :

Ka = [CH3COO​-​ ][H​+​]
___________________

[CH3COOH]

Example 1:
pH of buffer solution made from excess weak acid and strong base.
50 cm​3​ of 0.250 mol dm​-3​ butanoic acid added to 50 cm​3​ of 0.05 mol dm​-3​ sodium hydroxide. Ka
= 1.51 x 10​-3​. What is the pH?

Step 1:​ Write balanced equation.

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⇒ NaOH + C​4​H​7​COOH → C​4​H​7​COONa + H​2​O

Step 2:​ Work out the moles of NaOH (base).

[Moles = concentration x volume]

⇒ 0.05 x (50/1000) = 2.5 x 10​-3

Step 3:​ State how many moles of acid would react with this many moles of base and how many
moles of salt would be formed
⇒

Step 4:​ Work out the moles of acid left and concentration of the buffer solution.

⇒ Moles of CH​3​COOH at the start = concentration x volume

= (50/1000) x 0.25
= 0.0125

Moles of acid left after reaction = 0.0125 - 2.5 x 10​-3

= 0.01

Concentration of CH​3​COOH = moles / volume (dm​3​)

= 0.01 / 0.1
= 0.1 mol dm​-3

Step 5:​ Work out the concentration of the conjugate base CH​3​COO​-​.

⇒ Concentration of CH​3​COO​-​ = moles / volume

= 2.5 x 10​-3​ / 0.1
= 0.025 mol dm​-3

Step 6:​ Work out [H+].

Ka = [CH3COO​-​ ][H​+​]
___________________

[CH3COOH]

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⇒ [H​+​] = Ka x [CH3COOH]
___________________

[CH3COO​-​]

= 1.51 x 10​-5​ x (0.1)

_____________________

​
0.025

= 6.04 x 10​-5

Step 7:​ Work out the pH of the buffer solution by inputting [H​+​] into the pH equation.

pH = -log[H​+​]
= -log(6.04 x 10​-5​)
=​ ​4.22

Example 2:
Calculate the pH of a buffer solution which contains the weak monoprotic acid, propanoic acid
(CH​3​CH​2​COOH), in concentration 0.1 mol dm​-3​ and sodium propanoate in concentration 0.05
mol dm​-3​. K​a​ of propanoic acid is 1.26 x 10​-5​ mol dm​-3​.

Step 1:​ Write the acid dissociation constant Ka expression.

⇒ Ka = [CH​3​CH​2​COO​-​ ] [ H​+​]
____________________________

[CH​3​CH​2​COOH]

Step 2:​ Rearrange the Ka expression so that [H+] is the subject.

⇒ [H​+​] = Ka x [CH​3​CH​2​COOH]
____________________________

[CH​3​CH​2​COO​-​]

Step 3:​ Input the values to work out [H​+​].

⇒ [H​+​] = 1.26 x 10​-5​ x (0.1)

______________
(0.05)

= 2.52 x 10​-5​ mol dm​-3

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Step 4:​ Work out the pH of the buffer solution.

⇒ pH = -log[H​+​]
= -log(2.52 x 10​-5​ )
= ​4.60

Worked Exam Style Questions

Question 1

Step 1:​ Work out [H​+​] of the buffer solution with pH of 5.000.

⇒ [H​+​] = 10​-pH
= 10​-5
​
= 1 x 10​-5​ mol dm​-3

Step 2: ​Write the acid dissociation constant Ka expression.

⇒ Ka = [CH​3​COO​-​ ][H​+​]
___________________

[CH​3​COOH]

Step 3: ​Work out the concentration of the conjugate base by inputting the values for the
corresponding substances.

​
⇒[CH3COO​-​ ]​ = Ka x [CH3COOH]
_____________________

[H​+​]
= 1.75 x 10​-5​ x (0.2)
_____________________

1 x 10​-5

= 0.35 mol dm​-3

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Step 4:​ Work out the number of moles the conjugate base (sodium ethanoate).

⇒ Moles = concentration x volume

= 0.35 x (400/1000)
= 0.14 mol

Step 5:​ Work out the mass of sodium ethanoate.

[Mass = Mr x mol]

⇒ ​Mr of CH​3​COONa = (12 x 2) + (16 x 2) + 3 + 23 = 82

⇒ ​82 x 0.14 = ​11.48 g

Question 2

[1 mark]

Step 1:​ Calculate the concentration of H​+​ ions.

⇒ [H​+​] = Ka x [C​2​H​5​COOH]
________________________

​ -​
[C​
2​H​5​COO​ ]

= 1.35 x 10​-5​ x 1
__________________

1
= 1.35 x 10​-5

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Step 2:​ Work out the pH of the buffer solution.

⇒ pH = -log(1.35 x 10​-5​ )
= ​4.87

Question 3

[5 marks]

Step 1:​ Write a balanced equation of this reaction.

⇒ Mg + 2CH​3​CH​2​COOH → (CH​3​CH​2​COO)​2​Mg + H​2

Step 2:​ Work out the moles of magnesium added.

⇒ Moles = mass / Mr
= 6.075 / 24.3
= 0.25

Step 3:​ Work out how many moles of will react and how many moles of the salt formed using
stoichiometry.

Step 4: Work out how many moles of acid/salt after the reaction:

⇒ Moles of CH​3​CH​2​COOH and CH​3​CH​2​COO​-​ = 1.00.

Mg + 2 CH3CH2COOH → (CH3CH2COO)​2​Mg + H2
1 - (2 x 0.25) = 0.5 mol 1 + (2 x 0.25) = 1.5 mol

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For the acid you subtract 0.5 because 0.5 moles react so are used up.
For the salt 0.5 moles is added because this is the product that is made.

Step 4:​ Work out the concentration of the acid and conjugate base.

[CH3CH2COOH] = 0.5 / 1 = 0.5 mol dm​-3

[CH3CH2COO​-​] = 1.5 / 1 = 1.5 mol dm​-3

Step 5:​ Write and rearrange the acid dissociation constant Ka expression for this reaction.

⇒ [H​+​] = Ka x [C2H5COOH]
________________________

​ -​
[C2H5COO​ ]

= 1.35 x 10​-5​ x (0.5)

___________________

1.5
​ = 4.5 x 10​-6​ mol dm​-3
Step 6: ​Work of the pH of the buffer solution using the pH equation.

⇒ pH = -log[H​+​]
= -log (4.5 x 10​-6​ )
= ​5.35

Try these questions …

5.

[5 marks]

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6.

[5 marks]

Answers

Q1.

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Q2

Q3

Q4. [H​+​] = √K​w​ (or = √5.48 × 10​−14​)

Correct pH answer scores 3
1

If wrong method no marks

​ )​ gives pH = 7.​00​ which scores 1

Using alternative K​w​ (1.00 × 10−14

= 2.34 × 10​−7
1

pH = 6.63
Final answer must have 2dp
1

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Q5

Q6.

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