PH AND THE DISSOCIATION CONSTANT OF
BORIC ACID AND AMMONIA
Weak Acids and Bases
➢ are only partially ionized in their
solutions.
➢ such as: Formic (HCOOH), Acetic
(CH3COOH), Trichloroacetic (Cl3COOH),
Hydrofluoric (HF), Hydrocyanic (HCN),
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), Water (H2O),
Conjugate acids of weak bases (NH4),
Boric (H3BO3)
➢ weak bases such as: ammonia (NH3),
trimethyl ammonia N(CH3)3, pyridine
(C5H5N)
➢ ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), water
(H2O), HS-ion (HS-), conjugate bases of
weak acids (e.g. HCOO-)
Strong Acids and Bases
➢ are completely ionized when dissolved
in water.
➢ such as: Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), Nitric
Acid (HNO3), Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4),
Hydrobromic Acid (HBr), Hydroiodic
Acid (HI), Perchloric Acid (HClO4),
Chloric Acid (HClO3)
➢ Groups I and II are considered as strong
bases such as: Sodium Hydroxide
(NaOH), Potassium Hydroxide (KOH),
Barium Hydroxide Ba (OH)2, Calcium
Hydroxide Ca (OH)2 also called Classic
Arrhenius Bases
Ionization of Weak Acids and Bases
➢ an chemical equilibrium phenomenon
➢ Weak Acid: HA (aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ H3O+
(aq) + A-(aq)
[𝐻3𝑂+ ][𝐴−]
o 𝐾𝑎 = [𝐻𝐴]
➢ Weak Base: B(aq) + H2O (l) ⇌ BH+(aq) +
OH-(aq)
[𝐵𝐻 +][𝑂𝐻 −]
o 𝐾𝑏 = [𝐵]
➢ “[ ]” = molar concentration of the
species.
➢ value of dissociation constant =
indicates to what extent the reaction
occurs.
Polyprotic Acids and Bases
➢ substances that can make or accept
more than one proton per molecule
➢ have multiple dissociation constants
such Ka1, Ka2, Ka3, or Kb1, Kb2, and
Kb3.
➢ a simple method to determine the
dissociation constant of Ka of weak acid
and Kb of weak base is to determine the
pH of known concentrations of these
solutions.
pH
➢ used to determine the molarity of
Hydronium ions in the respective
solutions at equilibrium.
➢ calculate using:
o 𝑝𝐻 = − log[𝐻3 𝑂+ ]
o [𝐻3 𝑂+ ] = 10−𝑝𝐻
➢ a scale used to specify acidity or basicity
of aqueous solution
o acidic solutions are measured to
have lower pH values than basic
or alkaline solutions.
➢ pH scale pH = -log[H+]
o measure of acidity/ basicity by
concentration of H3O+ ions, or
[H3O+], or [H+]
o are related to auto-ionization of
water which can be expressed
by:
▪ 𝐾𝑤 = 10 𝑥 10−14 =
[𝐻3 𝑂+ ] 𝑥 [𝑂𝐻−]