SCH 4U/G Name: ____________________

Acid-Base Unit Review Questions Answer key

1) Determine the pH, pOH, and [OH-1] in each of the following solutions:
a)    Lemon juice, [H3O+1] = 5 X 10-3 mole/L
b)    Milk, [H3O+1] = 3 X 10-7 mole/L
c)    Seawater, [H3O+1] = 3 X 10-9 mole/L
[H3O+1] pH pOH [OH-1]
Lemon juice 5 X 10-3 mol/L 2.3 11.7 2 X 10-12 mol/L
Milk 3 X 10-7 mol/L 6.5 7.5 3.3 X 10-8 mol/L
Seawater 3 X 10-9 mol/L 8.5 5.5 3.3 X 10-6 mol/L

2) Benzoic acid, C6H5COOH, is an organic acid whose sodium salt, C6H5COONa, has long been used as a
safe food additive to protect beverages and many foods against harmful yeasts and bacteria.  The acid
is monoprotic.  Write the equation for the Ka of the acid.
C6H5COOH + H2O  C6H5COO1- + H3O1+
Ka = [C6H5COO1-][ H3O+] / [C6H5COOH]

3) What is the percent ionization of a 0.15 M solution of HF?  What is the pH of this ionization?
HF + H2O  F1- + H3O1+
HF + H2O  F1- + H3O1+
I 0.15 0 0
C -x +x +x
E ≈ 0.15 x x
Ka = [F1-][ H3O+] / [HF]
6.7 X 10-4 = x2 / 0.15
x = 0.0100
pH = -log x
pH = 2
percent ionization = 0.0100 / 0.15 * 100% = 6.7%

4) Periodic acid, HIO4, is an important oxidizing agent and a moderately strong acid.  In a 0.100 M
solution, [H3O+1] = 3.8 X 10-2 mole/L.  Calculate the Ka and pKa for periodic acid.
HIO4 + H2O  IO41- + H3O1+
HIO4 + H2O  IO41- + H3O1+
I 0.100 0 0
C -x +x +x
E 0.062 x = 3.8 X 10-2 x = 3.8 X 10-2
Ka = [IO4 ][ H3O ] / [HIO4]
1- +

Ka = (3.8 X 10-2)2 / 0.062

Ka = 0.01444
pKa = -log 0.01444
pKa = 1.8
5) Para-aminobenzoic acid, PABA, is a powerful sun screening agent whose salts are used widely in sun
tanning and screening lotions.  The parent acid which we may symbolize as H-Paba, is a weak acid
with a pKa of 4.92 at 25oC.  What will be the [H3O+1] and pH of a 0.030 M solution of this acid?
H-Paba + H2O  Paba 1- + H3O1+
H-Paba + H2O  Paba 1- + H3O1+
I 0.030 0 0
C -x +x +x
E ≈ 0.030 x x
pKa = 4.92
Ka = 10-4.92
= 1.20 X 10-5
Ka = [Paba 1-][ H3O+] / [H-Paba]
SCH 4U/G Name: ____________________

1.20 X 10-5 = x2 / 0.030

x = 6.00 X 10-4
pH = -log x
pH = 3.22

6) Ethylamine, CH3CH2NH2, has a strong pungent odour similar to that of ammonia.  Like ammonia, it is
a Bronsted base.  A 0.10 M solution has a pH of 11.86.  Calculate the Kb and pKb for the ethylamine,
and find the pKa for its conjugate acid, CH3CH2NH3+1
CH3CH2NH2 + H2O  CH3CH2NH31+ + OH1-
CH3CH2NH2 + H2O  CH3CH2NH31+ + OH1-
I 0.10 0 0
C -x +x +x
E 0.0927 x = 7.24 X 10-3 x = 7.24 X 10-3
pH = 11.86
pOH = 2.14
[OH1-] = 10-2.14
= 7.24 X 10-3
Kb = [CH3CH2NH31+][ OH1-] / [CH3CH2NH2]
= (7.24 X 10-3)2 / 0.0927
= 5.65 X 10-4
pKb = -log Kb
pKb = 3.24
pKa = 14 - pKb
= 10.76

7) A sample of blood was found to have a [H3O+1] = 4.6 X 10-8 M.  Find the molar concentration of OH-1,
and decide if the sample was acidic, basic, or neutral.
Kw = [OH-1] [H3O+1]
[OH-1] = 1.0 X 10-14 / 4.6 X 10-8 M
= 2.17 X 10-7 M > [H3O+1]  basic
SCH 4U/G Name: ____________________

8) Butanoic acid (butyric acid), C3H7COOH, is found in small quantities in human perspiration and is
responsible for the foul odour often associated with locker rooms.  The acid is also produced when
butter becomes rancid.  A 0.0010 mole/L solution of butanoic acid has a pH of 3.91 at 25oC.  Calculate
the acid dissociation constant of butanoic acid.
C3H7COOH + H2O  C3H7COO1- + H3O1+
C3H7COOH + H2O  C3H7COO1- + H3O1+
I 0.0010 0 0
C -x +x +x
E 8.77 X 10-4 x = 1.23 X 10-4 x = 1.23 X 10-4
pH = 3.91
[H3O1+] = 10-3.91
= 1.23 X 10-4
Ka = [C3H7COO1-][ H3O+] / [C3H7COOH]
Ka = (1.23 X 10-4)2 / 8.77 X 10-4
Ka = 1.72 X 10-5

9) How many grams of sodium formate, NaCHO2, would have to be dissolved in 1.00 L of 0.120 M
formic acid (pKa = 3.75) to make the solution a buffer for pH = 3.80? 
pH = pKa + log [CHO21-]/[HCHO2]
3.80 = 3.75 + log [CHO21-] - log[0.120]
3.80 = 3.75 + log [CHO21-] + 0.921
log [CHO21-] = 3.80 – 3.75 – 0.921
= -0.871
[CHO21-] = 10-0.871
= 0.134 M
m = cVMm
= 0.134 * 1.00 * 68.01
= 9.11 g

10) What ratio of molar concentrations of NH4Cl and NH3 would buffer a solution at pH 9.25? 
NH3 + H2O  NH41+ + OH1-
I 1.00 y 0
C -x +x +x
E ≈ 1.00 ≈y x = 1.78 X 10-5
pOH = 4.75
[OH1-] = 10-4.75
= 1.78 X 10-5
Kb = (1.78 X 10-5) y / 1.00
1.8 X 10-5 = (1.78 X 10-5) y / 1.00
y = 1.01

pH = pKa + log [NH3]/[ NH4+]

9.25 = 9.3 + log [NH3]/[ NH4+]
log [NH3]/[ NH4+] = -0.05
[NH3]/[ NH4+] = 10-0.05
= 0.891 / 1

11) To study the effect of a weakly acidic medium on the rate of corrosion of a metal, a chemist prepared a
buffer solution by making it 0.110 M NaC2H3O2 and also 0.0900 M HC2H3O2. What is the pH of this
solution? 
pH = pKa + log [C2H3O21-]/[HC2H3O2]
= 4.74 + log (0.110)/( 0.0900)
= 4.83