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I performed an experiment to find the pH of strong acid, weak acid, salt, and bu

ID: 839168 • Letter: I

Question

I performed an experiment to find the pH of strong acid, weak acid, salt, and buffer solutions. I used HCl, HC2H3O2 solutions, and buffer solutions of HC2H3O2/NaC2H3O2. I also added HCl and NaOH solutions to separate samples of buffer solutions.

1.) Concentration of HCl / Measured pH / Theoretical pH

Find the theoretical pH

1.0x10^-1 .... 0.98 ..... ????

1.0x10^-2 .....2.45 ...... ?????

1.0x10^-3 .... 3.25......????

1.0x10^-4 ..... 5.51 ..... ????

2.) Preparing HC2H3O2 Solutions and determining pH

Find the theoretical pH from the concentration of HC2H3O2 and the measured pH

1.0x10^-1 .....2.76....????

1.0x10^-2 ..... 3.10....????

1.0x10^-3 ...... 3.59 .... ????

1.0x10^-4 ...... 4.07.....????

3.)Given the concentrations of HC2H3O2, find the *calculated Ka* of HC2H3O2 and the *literature Ka* based on the pH data

Concentration:

1.0x10^-1

1.0x10^-2

1.0x10^-3

1.0x10^-4

Explanation / Answer

1.) Concentration of HCl / Measured pH / Theoretical pH

HCl    -----> H+ + Cl-

As HCl is a strong acid, it will ionise 100%. Thus, [H+] produced will be equal to that of HCl.

Theoretical pH = - log [H+] = - log [HCl]

1.0x10^-1 .... 0.98 ..... theoretical pH= -log (0.1)= 1

1.0x10^-2 .....2.45 ...... theoretical pH= -log (0.01)= 2

1.0x10^-3 .... 3.25...... theoretical pH= -log (0.001)= 3

1.0x10^-4 ..... 5.51 ..... theoretical pH= -log (0.0001)= 4

2.) Preparing HC2H3O2 Solutions and determining pH

As HC2H3O2 is a weak acid, it will not ionise 100%. Thus, first we have find the degree of ionisati of the acid as follows:

HC2H3O2    -----> H+ + CH3COO-

(c-x)                        x    x

Ka= 1.8 x 10