Transcript Chapter 3

Acid-Base Equilibria
Chapter 16
Revision
Acids and bases change the colours of certain
indicators.
Acids and bases neutralize each other.
Acids and bases react to form salts.
Acids react with certain metals to release
hydrogen.
Bronsted-Lowry Acids and Bases
These two chemists pointed out that acids and
bases can be seen as proton transfer
reactions.
According to the Bronsted-Lowry concept:
An acid is the species donating a proton in a
proton-transfer reaction
A base is the species accepting the proton in
a proton-transfer reaction.
If we consider the reaction:
HCl (g) + NH3 (g)
NH4Cl (s)
We see that we can view it as a proton transfer.
In any reversible acid-base reaction, both
forward and reverse reactions involve proton
transfers.
Consider the reaction of NH3 with H2O:
NH3 (aq) + H2O (aq)
NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
A conjugate acid-base pair consists of two
species in an acid-base reaction, one acid one
base, that differ by the loss or gain of a proton.
Note: NH3 and NH4+ are a conjugate acid-base
pair.
H2O and OH- are also a conjugate acid-base
pair.
Example
Identify the acid and base species in the
following equation:
CO32-(aq) + H2O(l)
Acid species :
Base species :
HCO3-(aq) + OH-
An amphiprotic species is a species that can
act as either an acid or a base (it can lose or
gain a proton), depending on the other reactant.
Consider water:
H2O + CH3O-  OH- + CH3OH
acid
base
H2O + HBr  H3O+ + Brbase
acid
Relative strengths of acids and bases
The strongest acids have the weakest
conjugate bases and the strongest bases have
the weakest conjugate acids.
AUTOPROTOLYSIS
Water undergoes self-ionisation  autoprotolysis,
since H2O acts as an acid and a base.
H2O + H2O  H3O+ + OHThe extent of autoprotolysis is very small.
The equilibrium constant expression for this reaction is:
[H3O+] [OH-]
Kc =
[H2O]2
The concentration of water is essentially constant.
Therefore:
[H2O]2 Kc = [H3O+] . [OH-]
constant = Kw
We call the equilibrium value of the ion product
[H3O+][OH-] the ion-product constant of water.
Kw = [H3O+] [OH-] = 1.0 x 10-14
at 25°C
Using Kw you can calculate concentrations of H3O+
and OH- in pure water.
[H3O+] [OH-] = 1.0 x 10-14
But [H3O+] = [OH-] in pure water
 [H3O+] = [OH-] = 1.0 x 10-7 M
If you add an acid or a base to water the concentrations
of H3O+ and OH- will no longer be equal. But Kw will still
hold.
The pH Scale
Because concentration values may be very small, it is
often more convenient to express acidity in terms of
pH.
Definition of pH
pH is defined as the negative logarithm of the molar
hydronium-ion concentration.
pH = -log [H3O+]
often written as :
pH = -log [H+]
For a solution with a hydronium-ion concentration of
1.0 x 10-3 M, the pH is:
Note that the number of places after the decimal point
in the pH equals the number of significant figures
reported in the hydronium-ion concentration.
Example
Calculating the pH from the hydronium-ion
concentration
Calculate the pH of typical adult blood, which has a
hydronium-ion concentration of 4.0 x 10-8 M.
Example
Calculating the hydronium-ion concentration from the
pH.
The pH of natural rain is 5.60. Calculate its hydroniumion concentration.
Other “p” scales – pOH
In the same manner that we defined pH we can
also define pOH:
pOH = -log [OH-]
also remember that:
Kw = [H3O+] . [OH-] = 1.0 x 10-14
therefore we can show that:
pH + pOH = 14.00
-log ([H+] [OH-]) = -log (1x10-14)
-log [H+] + -log [OH-] = -log (1x10-14)
pH + pOH = 14
Example
Calculating concentrations of H3O+ and OH- in
solutions of a strong acid or base.
Calculate the concentrations of hydronium ion
and hydroxide ion at 25°C in 0.10 M HCl.
Weak Acids
An acid reacts with water to produce
hydronium ion and the conjugate base ion.
This process is called acid ionization or acid
dissociation.
Eg. Acetic Acid:
CH3COOH + H2O
H3O+ + CH3COO-
In general for an acid, HA, we can write:
HA(aq) + H2O
H3O+ + A-(aq)
and the corresponding equilibrium constant
expression would be:
[H3O+] . [A-]
Kc =
[HA] . [H2O]
For a dilute solution, [H2O] would be nearly
constant, hence:
[H3O+] . [A-]
Ka = [H2O] Kc =
[HA]
Example
Determining Ka from the solution pH.
Sore-throat medications sometimes contain the weak
acid phenol, HC6H5O. A 0.10 M solution of phenol has a
pH of 5.43 at 25°C. What is the acid-dissociation
constant, Ka, for this acid at 25°C?
What is its degree of ionization?
HA + H2O
H3O+ + A-
Initial

Eqlbm
pH = 5.43
Degree of ionisation (fraction of ions that were
ionised):
HA + H2O
H3O++ A-
x of the original 0.10 M was ionised.
Degree of ionisation =
Example (See discussion p609-)
Calculating Concentrations of Species in a Weak Acid
Solution Using Ka. (Approximation Method)
Para-hydroxybenzoic acid is used to make certain dyes.
What are the concentrations of this acid (i.e.hydrogen
ion) and para-hydroxybenzoate anion in a 0.200 M
aqueous solution at 25°C?
What is the pH of the solution and the degree of
ionisation of the acid?
The Ka of this acid is 2.6 x 10-5.
HA + H2O
H3O+ + A-
Initial

Eqlbm
Now we must solve this quadratic.
One possible way of simplifying things is via an
assumption!
Because Ka is small (2.6 x 10-5),
Hence:
[H3O+] =
[A-] =
Degree of ionisation
[HA] =
=
Polyprotic Acids
So far we have only dealt with acids releasing only one
H3O+ ion.
Some acids, have two or more such protons; these
acids are called polyprotic acids.
Remember the strong acid H2SO4
For a weak diprotic acid like carbonic acid, H2CO3, there
are two simultaneous equilibria to consider.
H2CO3 + H2O
H3O+ + HCO3-
HCO3- + H2O
H3O+ + CO32-
Each equilibrium has an associated acid dissociation
constant.
For the loss of the first proton:
[H3O+] [HCO3-]
= 4.3 x 10-7
Ka1=
[H2CO3]
and for the loss of the second proton:
[H3O+] [CO32-]
-11
Ka2=
=
4.8
x
10
[HCO3-]
In general, the second ionisation constant, Ka2,
of a polyprotic acid is much smaller then the
first ionisation constant, Ka1.
In the case of a triprotic acid, the third
ionisation constant, Ka3, is much smaller that
the second one, Ka2.
Weak Bases
Equilibria involving weak bases are treated
similarly to those for weak acids.
In general, a weak base B with the base
ionization:
B(aq) + H2O
HB+ + OH-
has a base-ionization constant, Kb, equal to:
[HB+] [OH-]
Kb =
[B]
Example
Calculating concentrations of species in a weak base
solution using Kb.
Aniline, C6H5NH2, is used in the manufacturing of some
perfumes. What is the pH of a 0.035 M solution of
aniline at 25°C?
The Kb = 4.2 x 10-10 at 25°C.
B + H2O
HB+ + OH-
Initial

Eqlbm
Now
Relationship between Ka and Kb
Remember that for
we have:
and for
Ka =
HA(aq) + H2O
H3O+ + A-(aq)
[H3O+] [A-]
[HA]
A-(aq) + H2O
HA(aq) + OH-
[HA] [OH-]
we can write : Kb =
[A-]
Multiplying:
[H3O+] [A-]
[HA] [OH-]
Ka .Kb =
x
[HA]
[A-]
= [H3O+] [OH-]
 Ka .Kb = Kw
Example
Obtaining Ka from Kb or Kb from Ka
Obtain the Kb for the F- ion, the ion added to public
water supplies to protect teeth. For HF, Ka = 6.8 x 10-4.
Kb.Ka = Kw
Buffers
A buffer is a solution characterised by the
ability to resist changes in pH when limited
amounts of acid or base are added to it.
Buffers contain either a weak acid and its
conjugate base or a weak base and its
conjugate acid.
Thus, a buffer solution contains both an acid
species and a base species in equilibrium.
Example
Calculate the pH of a buffer from given
volumes.
What is the pH of a buffer made by mixing 1.00
L of 0.020 M benzoic acid, HC7H5O2, with 3.00 L
of 0.060 M sodium benzoate, NaC7H5O2? The Ka
for benzoic acid is 6.3 x 10-5.
Example
Calculating the pH of a buffer when a strong
acid or strong base is added.
Calculate the pH change that will result from the
addition of 5.0 mL of 0.10 M HCl to 50.0 mL of a
buffer containing 0.10 M NH3 and 0.10 M NH4+.
How much would the pH of 50.0 mL of water
change if the same amount of acid were added.?