Chemistry 20L

Practice Problem Set 2

Weak Acids and Bases

1. Calculate the pH of the following solutions: (a) 1 M NaCl
(b) 1 M HOAc (K
a
= 1.8 x 10
-5
) (c) 1 M NH
4
OH (K
b
= 1.8 x 10
-5
)
(d) 0.1 M NaOAc (e) 0.1 M NH
4
Cl.

Answer: (a) [H
+
] = 10
-7
; pH = 7.00 (b) [H
+
] = 4.24 x 10
-3
; pH = 2.37 (c) [OH
-
] = 4.24
x 10
-3
; pOH = 2.37; pH =14-2.37 = 11.63 (d) [OH-] = 7.45 x 10
-6
pOH = 5.13; pH
= 8.87 (e) [H+] = 7.45 x 10
-6
; pH = 5.13

2. The pH of a 0.100 M solution of an acid, HA, is 1.70. Calculate the K
a


Answer: 5 x 10
-3
(remember to subtract the dissociated amount from the original 0.
Concentration)

3. A solution of 0.250 M NaOH was used to titrate 50.00 mL of 0.250 M of a weak acid HX;
( K
a
= 3.6 x 10
-7
.) for the addition of each of the following volumes of sodium hydroxide,
calculate the pH of the resultant solution: (a) 0.00 mL, (b) 5.00 mL, (c) 25.00 mL, (d)
45.00 mL, (e) 50.00 mL, (f) 51.00 mL. Sketch the titration curve from the six points you
have calculated.

Answer: (a) 3.52 (b) 5.49 (c) 6.44 (d) 7.40 (e) 9.77
(f) 11.40

4. A solution containing a mixture of acetic acid and sodium acetate has a pH of 3.74. What is
the ratio of the concentrations of these two species.

Answer: [H
+
] = 1.8 X 10
-4

[A
-
]/[HA] = Ka/[H
+
] = 1.8 X 10
-5
/1.8 X 10
-4
= 1/10 = 0.1

5. A solution containing a mixture of acetic acid and sodium acetate has a pH of 5.35. the total
number of moles of the two acetate species per liter of solution is 0.15. Calculate the molarity
of HOAc and OAc
-
in one liter of this buffer solution.

Answer: [HOAc] = 0.03 M [OAc
-
] = 0.12 M

6. What weight of NaOAc.3H
2
O should be added to one liter of 0.100 M HOAc to prepare a
buffer solution having a pH of (a) 4.74 (b) 5.24?

Answer: (a) 14 g (b) 43 g

7. What weight of NaOH should be added to 1 liter of 1. 00 M HOAc to prepare a buffer
solution having a pH of 4.00?

Answer: 6.1 g

8. A buffer solution is 0.100 M in NaOAc and 0.200 M in HOAc. To one liter of this buffer
are added 25 mL of 0.500 M NaOH. Calculate the change in pH that occurred.

Answer: 0.08 pH units

9. The pH of a 0.200 M NH
4
Cl solution is approximately 5. What is the approximate
concentration of NH
4
OH in this solution?

Answer: Because of hydrolysis of NH
4
+
, [H
+
] = NH
4
OH, therefore, [NH
4
OH] = 10
-5


10. In the experiment on Introductions to Titrations and Indicators, you determined that the pH
of the bromocresol green end point was approximately 4.6. Write equations to explain why
equivalence point of the titration was not at pH 7. Include any equilibia mass-action
expressions.


Answer: At the equivalence point all of the weak TRIS base (RNH
2
) has reacted with
the acid to produce the salt RNH
3
+
. This salt hydrolyzes to produce the
undissociated base RNH
2
and protons. Thus, the solution has a pH less
than 7 at the equivalence point.

RNH
2
+ OH
-
= RNH
3
+
+ H
+


11. The concentration of acetic acid on the label of commercial vinegar says 5%, Calculate the
molarity of this solution. What assumptions did you need to make to calculate the
concentration?

Answer: Assuming 5% means 5g/100 mL of solution, then the concentration of the
solution is 0.83 M

12. The K
a
of acetic acid is 1.8 x 10
-5
. What is the pH of 10 ml of a 5% solution? What is the
pH of the solution if you now add 30 mL of water?

Answer: 2.4; 2.7

13. How will the equivalence point volume differ if you titrate the two solutions in question 12?
What is the pH of the equivalence point of the two solutions if you titrate with 0.3 M NaOH?

Answer: No difference in equivalence point volume.
5%; 10 mL pH =9.04
5% + water pH =8.92

14. Calculate the pH of a buffer solution prepared by mixing 30 mL of 5% acetic acid with 10
mL of 0.5 M NaOH.

Answer: 4.14

15. Calculate the volume of 0.200 M NaOH required to bring the pH of 20 mL of acetic acid
solution 4.74, which is the pK
a
of acetic acid.

Answer: 41.5 mL