Academic Integrity: tutoring, explanations, and feedback — we don’t complete graded work or submit on a student’s behalf.

Predict the relative pH (acidic, basic, or neutral) of a 1.0 M solution of the f

ID: 891567 • Letter: P

Question

Predict the relative pH (acidic, basic, or neutral) of a 1.0 M solution of the following salts. (acidic = pH less than 7; neutral = pH approximately 7; basic = pH greater than 7) (2 pts each)

sodium formate (formic acid Ka = 1.8 × 10-4)   _________________________

ammonium formate (ammonia Kb = 1.8 × 10-5) _________________________

sodium hydrogen sulfate (Ka1 = very large;      _________________________
Ka2 = 1.2 × 10-2)

potassium hypochlorite (HOCl Ka = 3.5 × 10-8) _________________________

disodium phosphate (H3PO4Ka1 = 7.5 × 10-2;   _________________________

a2 = 6.2 × 10-8; Ka3 = 4.8 × 10-13)

Explanation / Answer

1)

sodium formate (formic acid Ka = 1.8 × 10-4)

sodium formate HCOONa this is salt of weak acid and strong base. so the pH is greater than 7, basic

2)

ammonium formate (ammonia Kb = 1.8 × 10-5)

it is the salt of weak acid + weak base .pH can be decided by Ka of acid and Kb of base .

formic acid Ka = Ka = 1.8 × 10-4

NH3 Kb = Ka = 1.8 × 10-5

Ka > Kb . so acid dominate .

pH < 7 and it is acidic

3)

sodium hydrogen sulfate

sodium hydrogen sulfate NaHSO4 . this is a salt of strong acid and strong base. so the pH = approximately 7. neutral

(4)

potassium hypochlorite (HOCl Ka = 3.5 × 10-8)

KOCl is satl of strong base + weak acid . so pH > 7 it is basic

(5)

Na2HPO4 it is still having one acidic proton . so it is acid .

     pH < 7   and acidic