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Tutorial 6 (Acid-Base Equilibria and Buffers)

This document provides example problems related to acid-base equilibria and buffer solutions. It begins with easier questions identifying conjugate acid-base pairs and calculating pH values. It then presents harder questions involving acid dissociation constants, buffer capacity, and titration curves. The document aims to help students practice calculations involving acid and base equilibria.

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Ahmed Zaky
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22 views

Tutorial 6 (Acid-Base Equilibria and Buffers)

This document provides example problems related to acid-base equilibria and buffer solutions. It begins with easier questions identifying conjugate acid-base pairs and calculating pH values. It then presents harder questions involving acid dissociation constants, buffer capacity, and titration curves. The document aims to help students practice calculations involving acid and base equilibria.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Zaky
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tutorial 6 Acid-Base Equilibria & Buffers

Easier Questions
1. For the following chemical reactions, identify the pairs of conjugate acids and bases.
a) H2O + HCl → H3O+ + Cl-

b) CH3COOH + H2O → CH3COO- + H3O+

c) HCO3- + H2S → H2CO3 + HS-

2. Calculate the pH of the following strong acids and bases to 3 significant figures:
a) 0.250 M HNO3
b) 0.200 M H2SO4
c) 0.650 M Sr(OH)2

3. Find the pH of the solution made when 75 mL of 0.10M NaOH is reacted with 25 mL of 0.20M HCl.

4. Find the pH of the solution made when 175 mL of 0.080 M sulfuric acid is reacted with 120 mL of
0.10 M potassium hydroxide.
5. Use these approximate equations (given in your lectures)
[H+] = √[𝐻𝐴]𝐾𝑎 (for a weak acid, HA)
[OH-] = √[𝐵]𝐾𝑏 (for a weak base, B)

to calculate the pH of the following weak acids and bases.

(i) 0.600 M methanoic acid, which has Ka = 1.78 x 10-4

(ii) 0.0300 M ammonia, which has Kb = 1.8 x 10-5

6. (a) HA is a weak acid with Ka = 5.62 x 10-5


(i) Write an expression for the dissociation constant of HA

(ii) Calculate the pH of a 0.40M solution of HA

(b) A buffer solution contains HA(aq) at a concentration of 0.30M and its sodium salt, NaA at a
concentration of 0.60M. Use the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation for an acid buffer to
calculate the pH.

Harder Questions

7. Nitrous acid, HNO2, is a weak acid with an acid dissociation constant Ka = 4.70 × 10–4 at 4 °C.

HNO2(aq) + H2O(l) ⇋ H3O+(aq) + NO2–(aq)

(a) Write the expression for Ka.

(b) Calculate the pH of a 0.120M solution of nitrous acid.

(c) Calculate the pH of a buffer solution made by adding 1.38 g of sodium nitrite,
NaNO2, to 100 cm3 of the 0.120 mol dm–3 solution of nitrous acid.
(d) Explain why a mixture of nitrous acid and sodium nitrite can act as a buffer solution
whereas a solution of sodium nitrite on its own does not.

8. (a) Phosphoric(V) acid, H3PO4, is a weak acid which forms the following equilibrium in water:

H3PO4(aq) + H2O(l) ⇋ H2PO4–(aq) + H+(aq)

A simplified version of this equilibrium is:

H3PO4(aq) ⇋ H2PO4–(aq) + H+(aq)

(i) Write an expression for the acid dissociation constant, Ka, for phosphoric(V) acid.

(ii) A 0.500M solution of phosphoric(V) acid has a pH of 1.20. Use this information to calculate the
value of Ka. Assume that there is no further dissociation of the H2PO4– ion.

(b) In fact, the H2PO4– ion formed when phosphoric(V) acid is added to water can dissociate further
into HPO42–. This equilibrium can be written as

H2PO4–(aq) + H2O(l) ⇋ HPO42–(aq) + H3O+(aq)

(i) Identify the acid base conjugate pairs in the above equation.

(ii) Suggest why very little dissociation of the H2PO4– ion occurs in solutions of phosphoric(V) acid.

(c ) The change in pH when 25.0 cm3


of 0.100 mol dm–3 phosphoric(V) acid
is titrated with sodium hydroxide
solution of the same concentration can
be seen on the graph below.

From the list below, select a suitable


indicator for this titration. Justify your
choice.
pKIn
bromocresol green 4.7
bromothymol blue 7.0
phenolphthalein 9.3
9. Propanoic acid is a weak acid which dissociates according to

CH3CH2COOH(aq) + H2O(l) ⇋ CH3CH2COO–(aq) + H3O+(aq)

(a) (i) Identify the two acid/base conjugate pairs.

(ii) Write the expression for the acid dissociation constant, Ka, for propanoic acid.

(iii) Calculate the pH of a 0.100M solution of propanoic acid (Ka = 1.3 × 10–5)

(iv) Calculate the concentration of hydroxide ions, OH–, in this same solution of propanoic acid at 25oC
(Kw = 1.00 × 10–14).

(b) If sodium propanoate is dissolved in water, the pH of the resulting solution is not 7, but is near to 8.
By writing the equation for the reaction occurring, suggest why this is so.

(c) A mixture of sodium propanoate and propanoic acid behaves as a buffer solution.
(i) What is meant by a buffer solution?

(ii) Calculate the pH of a buffer solution that is made by mixing equal volumes of 0.0500M propanoic
acid and 0.100M sodium propanoate.

10. Determine the required ratio for [NH4+]/[NH3] if a buffer made with ammonia and ammonium
chloride should stabilise the pH at 8.7 . pKb(NH3) = 4.75.
11. A basic buffer of volume 200 cm3 contains 0.5M of ethylamine (CH3CH2NH2) and 0.5M of its
salt CH3CH2NH3Cl The pKa of ethylamine is 10.7

(a) Calculate (or state) the pH of this buffer.

(b) Write two equations to show how this buffer will respond to added H+ and OH-.

(c) 150 cm3 of 0.2M HCl is added to this buffer.

(i) Calculate the number of moles of HCl added

(ii) Calculate the number of moles of ethylamine and its conjugate acid which were originally
in the buffer.

(iii) By completing this ICE table, calculate the concentrations of ethylamine and its conjugate
acid in the solution after addition of the HCl.

CH3CH2NH2 CH3CH2NH3+
Initial / mol
Change / mol
Equil / mol
Conc. / mol dm-3

(iv) Hence find the pH of the buffer after the HCl has been added.

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