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I need help with this exercise 2. Citric acid (C H,O,) is a triprotic acid. Calc

ID: 551586 • Letter: I

Question

I need help with this exercise

2. Citric acid (C H,O,) is a triprotic acid. Calculate the pH and the concentration of all species in a 0.50 M citric acid solution. Kal = 7.59 × 10-4. Kaa = 1.7 × 10-5, Ka,-4.0 × 10-7. a) Using HA to represent citrie acid, write balanced reactions for each of the three dissociation steps. b) Prepare an ICE table for the first dissociation and solve for x. c) Prepare an ICE table for the second dissociation and solve for y d) Prepare an ICE table for the third dissociation and solve for z. e) Calculate [H']. [HjA]. H2A], HA2. A and the pH value

Explanation / Answer

The dissociation equation will be

                                    H3A ---> H+ + H2A-

Initial                             0.5          0        0

Change                          -x            +x       +x

Equilibrium                 0.5-x           x          x

Ka1 = [H+][H2A-] / [H3A] = x2 / 0.5-x = 7.59 X 10-4

x2= 3.795 X 10-4 - 7.59 X 10-4 x

solving for x , x = 0.0191

(ii) dissociation will be

                                 H2A- ---> H+ + HA-2   

Initial                        0.0191           0.0191   0

Change                          -y            +y        +y

Equilibrium                0.0191-y      0.0191+y y

Ka2 = [H+][HA-] / [H2A-] = y(0.0191+y) / 0.0191-y = 1.7 X 10-5

0.0191y + y2 = 0.03247 X 10-5 - 1.7 X X 10-5 y

y2 + 0.019117y - 0.0000003247 = 0

on solving for y, y = 0.0000169

c) third dissociation will be

                                  HA-2       ---> H+ + A-3

Initial                          0.0000169      0.091       0

Change                          -z                +z      +z

Equilibrium               .0000169 -z       0.091 + z         z

Ka3 = [H+][HA-] / [HA-2] = z(0.0191+z) / .0000169-z = 4 X 10-7

we may ignore x in denominator as ka3 is very low

4 X 10-7 = z(0.0191+z) / 0.0000169

4 X 10-7 X 0.0000169 = 0.0191z + z

z = 3.54 X 10-10 M

pH = -log[H+] = -log0.0191 = 1.72