Unit 1 Water - Buffers

1. Solubility of substances in water Predict which of the following substances are soluble
in water. Explain you answer.

The water is a polar substance so if the substances want to dissolve in the water, they must
have polarity.

- Vitamin C (a) is a substance that can be soluble in water because it contains 4

groups of polarization (OH-) => a substance has a polarity, so it can dissolve in the
water.
- Vitamin A (b) has 1 group polar but most structural formulas are long–chain
hydrocarbons so it can not dissolve in the water.
- The structural formula of β-carotene (c) does not have polar groups so it can not
dissolve in the water.

2. Calculation of pH of pure water The ion product of water at 0°C is 1.14 × 10–15 M2, and
at 100°C it is about 5.13 × 10–13 M2. What is the pH of pure water at 0°C and 100°C?

In pure water, [H+] and [OH-] are equal.

Water at 0oC:

Kw = [H+] × [OH-] = 1.14 × 10–15 M2

= [H+] × [H+] = 1.14 × 10–15

= √ 1.14 ×10−15 = 3.376 × 10–8

 pH of pure water in 0oC = -log[H+] = - log(3.376 × 10–8 ) = 7.74

Water at 100oC:

Kw = [H+] × [OH-] = 5.13 × 10–13 M2

 = [H+] × [H+] = 5.13 × 10–13

= √ 5.13 ×10−13 = 7.16 × 10–7

 pH of pure water in 100oC = -log[H+] = - log(7.16 × 10–7) = 6.15

3. Identifying the Conjugate Base Which is the conjugate base in each of the pairs
below?
(a) RCOOH, RCOO-
(b) RNH2, RNH3+
(c) H2PO4- , H3PO4
(d) HPO42- , H2PO4-
(e) PO43- , HPO42-
(f) H2CO3, HCO3-
(g) HCO3-, CO32-

=> The words highlighted are the conjugate base

4. Acidity of Gastric HCl In a hospital laboratory, a 10.0 mL sample of gastric juice,

obtained several hours after a meal, was titrated with 0.1 M NaOH to neutrality; 7.2 mL of
NaOH was required. The patient’s stomach contained no ingested food or drink; thus
assume that no buffers were present. What was the pH of the gastric juice?

HCL: VHCL = 10.0mL; CMHCL = ?

NaOH: VNaOH = 7.2mL; CMNaOH = 0.1

=> CMHCL = (CMNaOH × VNaOH)/ VHCL = 0.072 (M)

=> pH of the gastric juice = -log[H+] = -log(0.072) = 1.14

5. Calculation of pH from Molar Concentrations What is the pH of a solution

containing 0.12 mol/L of NH4Cl and 0.03 mol/L of NaOH (pKa of NH4/NH3 is 9.25)?

NH4Cl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O + NH3

Inital 0.12 0.03 (mol/L)

Final 0.09 0 0.03 0.03 0.03 (mol/L)

0.03
=> pH = pKa + log(¿ ¿ = 9.25 + log( ¿ = 8.773
0.09

6. Preparation of an Acetate Buffer Calculate the concentrations of acetic acid (pKa =

4.76) and sodium acetate necessary to prepare a 0.2 M buffer solution at pH 5.0.

pH = pKa + log(¿ ¿
 5.0 = 4.76 + log(¿ ¿ => log(¿ ¿ = 0.24 => ¿ ¿ = 1.738 (1)

[HA] + [A-] = 0.2M (2)

(1),(2) => [HA] = 0.073M; [A-] = 0.127M

7. pH and Drug Absorption Aspirin is a weak acid with a pKa of 3.5.

It is absorbed into the blood through the cells lining the stomach and the small intestine.
Absorption requires passage through the plasma membrane, the rate of which is
determined by the polarity of the molecule: charged and highly polar molecules pass
slowly, whereas neutral hydrophobic ones pass rapidly. The pH of the stomach contents is
about 1.5, and the pH of the contents of the small intestine is about 6. Is more aspirin
absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach or from the small intestine? Clearly justify
your choice

- Aspirin is mostly absorbed in the stomach. Because aspirin does not has dissociated
group so it will pass radidly in neutral environment.