CHEMISTRY II
C. Kabweze
PBS Department
The Chemistry of Acids and
Bases
Acid/Base Definitions
Definition #1: Arrhenius (traditional)
Acids – produce H+ ions (or H3O+) in water
Bases – produce OH- ions in water
(problem: some bases don’t have hydroxide ions!)
Acid/Base Definitions
Definition #2: Brønsted – Lowry
Acids – proton donor
Bases – proton acceptor
A “proton” is really just a hydrogen
atom that has lost it’s electron!
H+ = proton
A Brønsted-Lowry acid is a proton donor
A Brønsted-Lowry base is a proton acceptor
conjugate conjugate
base acid
acid base
ACID-BASE THEORIES
The Brønsted definition means NH3 is a BASE in
water — and water is itself an ACID
NH3 + H2O NH4+ + OH-
Base Acid Acid Base
Conjugate Pairs
Learning Check!
Label the acid, base, conjugate acid, and
conjugate base in each reaction:
HCl + OH- → Cl- + H2O
H2O + H2SO4 → HSO4- + H3O+
The pH scale is a way of expressing the
strength of acids and bases. Instead of using
very small numbers, we just use a logarithmic
scale.
pH < 7 → acid
pH = 7 → neutral
pH > 7 → base
Calculating the pH
pH = - log [H+] or [H3O+]
(Remember: [M] mean molar concentration
What is the pH if [H+] = 1 X 10-10M
pH = - log (1 X 10-10)
pH = - (- 10)
Sig fig for log
pH = 10 functions:
What is the pH if [H3O+] = 1.8 X 10-5M Sig fig in question
pH = - log (1.8 X 10-5) equals decimal
places in pH
pH = - (- 4.74)
pH = 4.74
Try These!
Find the pH of these: (calculate [H+] by mole ratio)
1) A 0.15 M solution of hydrochloric acid
HCl → H+ + Cl-
pH = 0.82
2) A 3.00 X 10-7 M solution of nitric acid
HNO3 → H+ + NO3-
pH = 6.523
pH calculations – Solving for H+
If the pH of Coke is 3.12, [H+] = ???
Because pH = - log [H+] then
- pH = log [H+]
Take inverse log (10x) of both sides and get
10-pH = [H+]
[H+] = 10-3.12 = 7.6 x 10-4 M
*** to find inverse log on your calculator, look for “Shift” or “2nd function” and then
the log button
pH calculations – Solving for H+
A solution has a pH of 8.5. What is the molarity of
hydrogen ions in the solution?
pH = - log [H+]
8.5 = - log [H+]
-8.5 = log [H+]
log-1 -8.5 = [H+]
10-8.5 = [H+]
3.16 X 10-9 M = [H+]
pOH
• Since acids and bases are opposites, pH and pOH
are opposites!
• pOH does not really exist, but it is useful for changing
bases to pH.
• pOH looks at the perspective of a base
pOH = - log [OH-]
Since pH and pOH are on opposite ends,
pH + pOH = 14
will prove later…
pH [H+] [OH-] pOH
[H3O+], [OH-] and pH
What is the pH of the 0.0010 M NaOH solution?
[OH-] = 0.0010 (or 1.0 X 10-3 M)
pOH = - log 0.0010
pOH = 3
pH = 14 – 3 = 11
[OH-]
[H+] pOH
pH
More About Water
H2O can function as both an ACID and a BASE.
In pure water there can be AUTOIONIZATION
Equilibrium constant for water = Kw
Kw = [H3O+] [OH-] = 1.00 x 10-14 at 25 oC
More About Water
Autoionization OH-
H3O+
Kw = [H3O+] [OH-]
In a neutral solution pH =7
[H3O+] = [OH-] = 1.00 x 10-7 M
Kw = [H3O+] [OH-] = 1.00 x 10-14 at 25 oC
Now we can prove pH + pOH = 14
Strong and Weak Acids/Bases
The strength of an acid (or base) is determined
by the amount of IONIZATION.
HNO3, HCl, H2SO4 and HClO4 are among the
only known strong acids.
Strong and Weak Acids/Bases
Acids and bases are classified as eiher STRONG or WEAK.
STRONG ACID: An acid that ionizes 100%
HNO3 (aq) + H2O (l) --->H3O+ (aq) + NO3- (aq)
HNO3 is about 100% ionized/dissociated in water.
Strong and Weak Acids/Bases
• Weak acids are much less than 100% ionized in
water (about 1-2%).
One of the best known is acetic acid = CH3CO2H
Strong and Weak Acids/Bases
Strong Base: 100% dissociated in water.
NaOH (aq) ---> Na+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
Strong and Weak Acids/Bases
Weak base: less than 100% ionized in water
One of the best known weak bases is ammonia
NH3 (aq) + H2O (l) NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
Equilibria Involving
Weak Acids and Bases
Consider acetic acid, CH3COOH (HOAc)
CH3COOH + H2O H3O+ + CH3COO-
Acid Conj. base
K is designated Ka for ACID
[H3O+] [CH3COO-] -5
Ka= [CH3COOH] =1.8x 10
Ionization Constants for Acids/Bases
Acids Conjugate
Bases
Increase
strength
Increase
strength
Equilibrium Constants
for Weak Acids
Weak acid has Ka < 1
Leads to small [H3O+] and a pH of 2 - 7
Equilibrium Constants
for Weak Bases
Weak base has Kb < 1
Leads to small [OH-] and a pH of 12 - 7
Relation
of Ka, Kb,
[H3O+]
and pH
Equilibria Involving A Weak Acid
You have 1.00 M CH3COOH. Calc. the equilibrium
concs. of CH3COOH, H3O+, CH3COO-, and the pH.
Step 1. Define equilibrium concs. in ICE table.
[CH3COOH] [H3O+] [CH3COO-]
initial 1.00 0 0
change -x +x +x
equilib 1.00-x x x
Equilibria Involving A Weak Acid
Step 2. Write Ka expression
[ H3O+] [CH3COO-] X2
Ka= 1.8x 10-5 = [CH3COOH] = 1.00-X
This is a quadratic. Solve using quadratic
formula.
Equilibria Involving A Weak Acid
Step 3. Solve Ka expression
[H3O+] [CH3COO-] X2
Ka= 1.8x 10-5 = [CH3COOH] = 1.00-X
First assume x is very small because Ka
is so small.
2
-5 x
Ka = 1.8 x 10 =
1.00
.
Equilibria Involving A Weak Acid
Step 3. Solve Ka approximate expression
-5 x2
Ka = 1.8 x 10 =
1.00
x = [H3O+] = [CH3COO-] = 4.2 x 10-3 M
pH = - log [H3O+] = -log (4.2 x 10-3) = 2.37
Equilibria Involving A Weak Acid
Calculate the pH of a 0.0010 M solution of formic acid, HCO2H.
HCO2H + H2O → HCO2- + H3O+
Ka = 1.8 x 10-4 M
Solution
[H3O+] = [HCO2-] = 3.4 x 10-4 M
[HCO2H] = 0.0010 - 3.4 x 10-4 = 0.0007 M
pH = 3.47
Equilibria Involving A Weak Base
You have 0.010 M NH3. Calc. the pH.
NH3 + H2O → NH4+ + OH-
Kb = 1.8 x 10-5
Step 1. Define equilibrium concs. in ICE table
[NH3] [NH4+] [OH-]
initial 0.010 0 0
change -x +x +x
equilib 0.010 - x x x
Equilibria Involving A Weak Base
You have 0.010 M NH3. Calc. the pH.
NH3 + H2O → NH4+ + OH-
Kb = 1.8 x 10-5
Step 1. Define equilibrium concs. in ICE table
[NH3] [NH4+] [OH-]
initial 0.010 0 0
change -x +x +x
equilib 0.010 - x x x
Equilibria Involving A Weak Base
You have 0.010 M NH3. Calc. the pH.
NH3 + H2O → NH4+ + OH-
Kb = 1.8 x 10-5
Step 2. Solve the equilibrium expression
-5 [NH4+ ][OH- ] x2
Kb = 1.8 x 10 = =
[NH3 ] 0.010 - x
Assume x is small, so
x = [OH-] = [NH4+] = 4.2 x 10-4 M
and [NH3] = 0.010 - 4.2 x 10-4 ≈ 0.010 M
The approximation is valid !
Equilibria Involving A Weak Base
You have 0.010 M NH3. Calc. the pH.
NH3 + H2O → NH4+ + OH-
Kb = 1.8 x 10-5
Step 3. Calculate pH
[OH-] = 4.2 x 10-4 M
so pOH = - log [OH-] = 3.37
Because pH + pOH = 14,
pH = 10.63
Types of Acid/Base Reactions: Summary
pH paper
THANK YOU