21.

3 Weak Acids and Bases

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21.3 Weak Acids and Bases
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21.3 Weak Acids and Bases
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21.3 Weak Acids and Bases

Learning Objectives

• Define the terms weak acid and weak base

• Describe how to calculate the pH of a weak acid
• Define the pKa of a weak acid

Key words: acid, base, pH, strong, weak, equilibrium, dissociation.

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 Acid Base Equilibria – Recap - Definitions
Acid-Base Definitions
• A Lewis Acid is a substance that accepts a pair of electrons
• A Lewis Base is a substance that donates a pair of electrons
• A Bronsted-Lowry Acid is a substance that donates a proton
• A Bronsted-Lowry Base is a substance that accepts a proton
• Each acid is linked to a conjugate base on the other side of the equation
• Each base is linked to a conjugate acid on the other side of the equation

HCl(g) + H2O(l) –> H3O+(aq) + Cl-(aq)

• Strong Acids are acids that completely dissociate

e.g. HCl(aq) –> H+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)
• Weak Acids are acids that don’t completely dissociate
e.g. CH3COOH(aq) –> CH3COO- (aq) + H+ (aq)
• Monoprotic acids only donate one proton to an aqueous solution.
• Diprotic acids donate two protons e.g. H2SO4
Acid Base Equilibria – Recap – pH Calculations
Calculating pH
• The acidity of a solution is based on of the concentration of
protons in an aqueous solution [H+]
• pH = -log[H+]
• e.g. For a 0.1M solution of HCl, the pH will be -log[0.1] = 1.00
• [H+] = 1×10 -pH
• e.g. For a solution of pH 2.00 the concentration of protons present
will be 1X10-2.00 = 0.01M
• For a monoprotic strong acid, the concentration of H + ions present will be the
same as the concentration of the acid.
• For a diprotic strong acid, the
Concentration of H+ ion will be double the concentration of the acid.
WEAK ACID
• Very little of the acid is ionised/dissociated.
• E.g. Ethanoic acid (vinegar)

Equilibrium nearly all

this side

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 Acid Base Equilibria – Ka
Dissociation of a weak acid:
HA (aq) H+ (aq) + A- (aq)
Then Ka = [H+] [A-] For a weak acid [H+] = [A-] so
[HA]

Ka = [H ] + 2 [H+] = [A-]
[HA]
If the concentration of acid [HA] and Ka are known then the data can be
used to find pH
Acid dissociation constant, Ka
In weak acid
Assume....
•As very weak acid
[HA] at equilibrium = [HA] at start
ignore dissociation in water so [H+] = [A-]

 Ka = [H ]
+ 2 [H+] = [A-]
[HA] 9
Can use this to work out Ka
 Test yourself
Write expressions for Ka (including units) for the
following weak acids:
TIP: you need to write the symbol equation first
a) Hydrocynanic acid, HCN
b) Nitrous acid, HNO2
c) Chloroethanoic acid, CH2ClCOOH
1. a. Ka = [H+] [CN-] mol dm-3
[HCN]
b. Ka = [H+] [NO2-] mol dm-3
[HNO2] 10

c. Ka = [H+] [CH2Cl OO-] mol dm-3

[CH2Cl OOH] 18/08/2022
Acid Base Equilibria – pKa
Often Ka is very large and so pKa is given

pKa = - log10 (Ka)

As with pH the Ka value is 10 -pKa

 Find the pH of this weak acid

0.150 mol dm-3 of HCN

• HCN (aq) H+ (aq) + CN- (aq)

• Ka = 4.9 x 10-10 mol dm-3

 Ka = [H+] [CN-] = [H+] 2
[HCN] [HCN]

4.9 x 10-10 = [H+] 2 [H+] = 8.57x 10-6 12

0.150 mol dm-3

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So......
• pH = - log10 [H+]

= - log 8.57x 10-6

pH = 5.07

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Acid Strength Summary
Weak Acid Practice Qs (4 min)
1. Convert the following Ka values to pKa values
a) 1.22 x 10-4
b) 5.66 x 10-3
c) 3.75 x 10-5

2. Convert the following pKa values to Ka values

d) 2.98
e) 5.54
f) 4.62
Weak Acid Practice Qs Answers
1. Convert the following Ka values to pKa values
a) 1.22 x 10-4
b) 5.66 x 10-3
c) 3.75 x 10-5

2. Convert the following pKa values to Ka values

d) 2.98
e) 5.54
f) 4.62
 Calculate the pHs of the following
weak acid solutions:
a) 0.0200 mol dm-3 chloric (1) acid, HOCl, Ka = 3.72 x 10-8 mol dm-3

b) 0.0500 mol dm-3 nitrous acid, HNO2, Ka = 4.57 x 10-4 mol dm-3

c) 1.00 mol dm-3 iodoethanoic acid, CH2ICOOH, Ka = 6.76 x 10-4 mol dm-3

d) 1.00 mol dm-3 propanoic acid, C2H5COOH, Ka = 1.35 x 10-5 mol dm-3

e) 0.250 mol dm-3 hydrocyanic acid, HCN, Ka = 3.98 x 10-10 mol dm-3

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Calculate the pH s of the following weak acid solutions:

a) 0.0200 mol dm-3 chloric (1) acid, HOCl, Ka = 3.72 x 10-8 mol dm-3

b) 0.0500 mol dm-3 nitrous acid, HNO2, Ka = 4.57 x 10-4 mol dm-3

c) 1.00 mol dm-3 iodoethanoic acid, CH2ICOOH, Ka = 6.76 x 10-4 mol dm-3

d) 1.00 mol dm-3 propanoic acid, C2H5COOH, Ka = 1.35 x 10-5 mol dm-3

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e) 0.250 mol dm-3 hydrocyanic acid, HCN, Ka = 3.98 x 10-10 mol dm-3
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Calculate the Ka for the following weak acids

a) 0.400 mol dm-3 HX if its pH is 4.50

b) 0.125 mol dm-3 HY if its pH is 3.25

c) 0.885 mol dm-3 HZ if its pH is 5.70

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Calculate the Ka & pKa for the following weak acids
a) 0.400 mol dm-3 HX if its pH is 4.50

b) 0.125 mol dm-3 HY if its pH is 3.25

c) 0.885 mol dm-3 HZ if its pH is 5.70

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More Weak Acid Practice Qs Answers
More Weak Acid Practice Qs Answers
Determining Concentrations from Ka and Initial [HA]
Problem: Hypochlorous acid is a weak acid formed in laundry bleach.
What is the [H3O+] of a 0.125 M HClO solution? Ka = 3.5 x 10-8
Plan: We need to find [H3O+]. First we write the balanced equation and
the expression for Ka and solve for the hydronium ion concentration.
Solution:
HClO(aq) + H2O(l) H3O+(aq) + ClO-(aq)

[H3O+] [ClO-]
Ka = = 3.5 x 10 -8
[HClO]

Concentration (M) HClO H 2O H3O+ ClO-

Initial 0.125 ---- 0 0

Change -x ---- +x +x
Equilibrium 0.125 - x ---- x x

(x)(x) assume 0.125 - x = 0.125

Ka = = 3.5 x 10 -8

0.125-x x2 = 0.4375 x 10-8 x = 0.661 x 10-4

 Solving Problems Involving Weak-Acid Equilibria–I

There are two general types of equilibrium problems involving weak

acids and their conjugate bases:
1. Given equilibrium concentrations, find Ka.
2. Given Ka and some concentration information, find the other
equilibrium concentrations.
The problem-solving approach.
1. Write the balanced equation and Ka expression; these will tell you
what to find.
2. Define x as the unknown concentration that changes during the
reaction. Frequently, x = [HA]dissoc., the concentration of HA that
dissociates which, through the use of certain assumptions, also
equals [H+] and [A-] at equilibrium.
3. Construct a reaction table that incorporates the unknown.
4. Make assumptions that simplify the calculation, usually that x is
very small relative to the initial concentration.
Solving Problems Involving Weak-Acid Equilibria–II
5. Substitute the values into the Ka expression and solve for x.
6. Check that the assumptions are justified. We normally apply the
5% rule; if the value of x is greater than 5% of the value it is
compared with, you must use the quadratic formula to find x.
The notation system. Molar concentrations of species are indicated by
using square brackets around the species of interest. Brackets with no
subscript refer to the molar concentration of the species at equilibrium.
The assumptions. The two key assumptions to simplify the
arithmetic are:
1. The [H+] from the autoionization of water is negligible. In fact,
the presence of acid from whatever is put into solution will hinder
the autoionization of water, and make it even less important.
2. A weak acid has a small Ka. Therefore, it dissociates to such a small
extent that we can neglect the change in its concentration to find its
equilibrium concentration.
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