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I\'m working on a lab, and I seem to be stuck. My numbers don\'t seem to be maki

ID: 1017783 • Letter: I

Question

I'm working on a lab, and I seem to be stuck. My numbers don't seem to be making sense.

I discovered the half-equivelance point of an unknown acid is 5.5.

The lab states the half-equivelance point is equal to the pKa of the unknown weak acid.

-log(5.5)= -.74

I am given this table af possible acids, but can't see how that (5.5 pKa and -.74 Ka) makes it possible to select one. It seems like a pKa of 5.5 should result in a much smaller Ka value.

Not sure what I did wrong.

Possible weak acids:

Acid Name

Acid Formula

Ka Value

pKa Value

Chlorous acid

HClO2

1.2 x 10 -2

2.92

Monochloracetic acid

HC2H2ClO2

1.35 x10 -3

3.87

Hydrofluoric acid

HF

7.2 x 10 -4

4.14

Acetic acid

HC2H3O2

1.8 x 10 -5

4.75

Carbonic acid

H2CO3

4.3 x 10 -7

6.37

Hypochlorous acid

HOCl

3.5 x 10 -8

7.46

Hydrocyanic acid

HCN

6.2 x 10 -10

9.21

Acid Name

Acid Formula

Ka Value

pKa Value

Chlorous acid

HClO2

1.2 x 10 -2

2.92

Monochloracetic acid

HC2H2ClO2

1.35 x10 -3

3.87

Hydrofluoric acid

HF

7.2 x 10 -4

4.14

Acetic acid

HC2H3O2

1.8 x 10 -5

4.75

Carbonic acid

H2CO3

4.3 x 10 -7

6.37

Hypochlorous acid

HOCl

3.5 x 10 -8

7.46

Hydrocyanic acid

HCN

6.2 x 10 -10

9.21

Explanation / Answer

A:- It is Ka value of weak acid, Ka = 5.5, then the pKa value, pKa = -log (Ka)

                                                                                                      = -log (5.5)

                                                                                               pKa = -0.74