Acids and Bases

Chapter 15

1
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
 Acids

Have a sour taste. Vinegar owes its taste to acetic acid. Citrus
fruits contain citric acid.
React with certain metals to produce hydrogen gas.
React with carbonates and bicarbonates to produce carbon
dioxide gas

Bases
Have a bitter taste.
Feel slippery. Many soaps contain bases.
2
 A Brønsted acid is a proton donor
A Brønsted base is a proton acceptor

base acid acid base

conjugate conjugate
base acid
acid base

3
 Acid-Base Properties of Water

H2O (l) H+ (aq) + OH- (aq)

autoionization of water

+ -
H O + H O [H O H] + H O
H H H

conjugate
base
acid
H2 O + H 2 O H3O+ + OH-
acid conjugate
4
base
 The Ion Product of Water

[H+][OH-]
H2O (l) H+ (aq) + OH- (aq) Kc = [H2O] = constant
[H2O]

Kc[H2O] = Kw = [H+][OH-]

The ion-product constant (Kw) is the product of the molar

concentrations of H+ and OH- ions at a particular temperature.

Solution Is
[H+] = [OH-] neutral
At 250C [H+] > [OH-] acidic
Kw = [H+][OH-] = 1.0 x 10-14
[H+] < [OH-] basic

5
What is the concentration of OH- ions in a HCl solution whose
hydrogen ion concentration is 1.3 M?

Kw = [H+][OH-] = 1.0 x 10-14

[H+] = 1.3 M

K 1 x 10 -14
w -15 M
[OH-] = = = 7.7 x 10
[H+] 1.3

6
 pH – A Measure of Acidity

pH = -log [H+]

Solution Is At 250C
neutral [H+] = [OH-] [H+] = 1 x 10-7 pH = 7
acidic [H+] > [OH-] [H+] > 1 x 10-7 pH < 7
basic [H+] < [OH-] [H+] < 1 x 10-7 pH > 7

pH [H+]

7
Other important relationships
pOH = -log [OH-]

[H+][OH-] = Kw = 1.0 x 10-14

-log [H+] – log [OH-] = 14.00

pH + pOH = 14.00

8
pH Meter
The pH of rainwater collected in a certain region of the
northeastern United States on a particular day was 4.82. What
is the H+ ion concentration of the rainwater?
pH = -log [H+]
[H+] = 10-pH = 10-4.82 = 1.5 x 10-5 M

The OH- ion concentration of a blood sample is 2.5 x 10-7 M.

What is the pH of the blood?
pH + pOH = 14.00
pOH = -log [OH-] = -log (2.5 x 10-7) = 6.60

pH = 14.00 – pOH = 14.00 – 6.60 = 7.40

9
 Strong Electrolyte – 100% dissociation
H2O
NaCl (s) Na+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

Weak Electrolyte – not completely dissociated

CH3COOH CH3COO- (aq) + H+ (aq)

Strong Acids are strong electrolytes

HCl (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

HNO3 (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + NO3- (aq)
HClO4 (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + ClO4- (aq)
H2SO4 (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + HSO4- (aq)
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Weak Acids are weak electrolytes

HF (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + F- (aq)

HNO2 (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + NO2- (aq)
HSO4- (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + SO42- (aq)
H2O (l) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + OH- (aq)

Strong Bases are strong electrolytes

H2O
NaOH (s) Na+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
H2O
KOH (s) K+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
H2O
Ba(OH)2 (s) Ba2+ (aq) + 2OH- (aq)

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Weak Bases are weak electrolytes

F- (aq) + H2O (l) OH- (aq) + HF (aq)

NO2- (aq) + H2O (l) OH- (aq) + HNO2 (aq)

Conjugate acid-base pairs:

• The conjugate base of a strong acid has no measurable
strength.
• H3O+ is the strongest acid that can exist in aqueous
solution.
• The OH- ion is the strongest base that can exist in aqeous
solution.

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13
Strong Acid (HCl) Weak Acid (HF)

14
What is the pH of a 2 x 10-3 M HNO3 solution?

HNO3 is a strong acid – 100% dissociation.

Start 0.002 M 0.0 M 0.0 M
HNO3 (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + NO3- (aq)
End 0.0 M 0.002 M 0.002 M

pH = -log [H+] = -log [H3O+] = -log(0.002) = 2.7

What is the pH of a 1.8 x 10-2 M Ba(OH)2 solution?

Ba(OH)2 is a strong base – 100% dissociation.
Start 0.018 M 0.0 M 0.0 M
Ba(OH)2 (s) Ba2+ (aq) + 2OH- (aq)
End 0.0 M 0.018 M 0.036 M
pH = 14.00 – pOH = 14.00 + log(0.036) = 12.6 15
Weak Acids (HA) and Acid Ionization Constants

HA (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+ (aq) + A- (aq)

HA (aq) H+ (aq) + A- (aq)

[H+][A-]
Ka =
[HA]

Ka is the acid ionization constant

weak acid
Ka
strength

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17
What is the pH of a 0.5 M HF solution (at 250C)?
[H+][F-]
HF (aq) H+ (aq) + F- (aq) Ka = = 7.1 x 10-4
[HF]
HF (aq) H+ (aq) + F- (aq)
Initial (M) 0.50 0.00 0.00
Change (M) -x +x +x
Equilibrium (M) 0.50 - x x x
x2
Ka = = 7.1 x 10-4 Ka << 1 0.50 – x  0.50
0.50 - x
x2
Ka  = 7.1 x 10-4 x2 = 3.55 x 10-4 x = 0.019 M
0.50
[H+] = [F-] = 0.019 M pH = -log [H+] = 1.72
[HF] = 0.50 – x = 0.48 M 18
 When can I use the approximation?

Ka << 1 0.50 – x  0.50

When x is less than 5% of the value from which it is subtracted.

0.019 M Less than 5%
x = 0.019 x 100% = 3.8%
0.50 M Approximation ok.

What is the pH of a 0.05 M HF solution (at 250C)?

x2
Ka  = 7.1 x 10-4 x = 0.006 M
0.05
0.006 M More than 5%
x 100% = 12%
0.05 M Approximation not ok.

Must solve for x exactly using quadratic equation or method of

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successive approximations.
Solving weak acid ionization problems:
1. Identify the major species that can affect the pH.
• In most cases, you can ignore the autoionization of
water.
• Ignore [OH-] because it is determined by [H+].
2. Use ICE to express the equilibrium concentrations in terms
of single unknown x.
3. Write Ka in terms of equilibrium concentrations. Solve for x
by the approximation method. If approximation is not valid,
solve for x exactly.
4. Calculate concentrations of all species and/or pH of the
solution.

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What is the pH of a 0.122 M monoprotic acid whose
Ka is 5.7 x 10-4?
HA (aq) H+ (aq) + A- (aq)
Initial (M) 0.122 0.00 0.00
Change (M) -x +x +x
Equilibrium (M) 0.122 - x x x
x2
Ka = = 5.7 x 10-4 Ka << 1 0.122 – x  0.122
0.122 - x
x2
Ka  = 5.7 x 10-4 x2 = 6.95 x 10-5 x = 0.0083 M
0.122

0.0083 M More than 5%

x 100% = 6.8%
0.122 M Approximation not ok.
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 x2
Ka = = 5.7 x 10-4 x2 + 0.00057x – 6.95 x 10-5 = 0
0.122 - x
-b ± b2 – 4ac
ax2 + bx + c =0 x=
2a
x = 0.0081 x = - 0.0081

HA (aq) H+ (aq) + A- (aq)

Initial (M) 0.122 0.00 0.00
Change (M) -x +x +x
Equilibrium (M) 0.122 - x x x

[H+] = x = 0.0081 M pH = -log[H+] = 2.09

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 Ionized acid concentration at equilibrium
percent ionization = x 100%
Initial concentration of acid

For a monoprotic acid HA

[H+]
Percent ionization = x 100% [HA]0 = initial concentration
[HA]0

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 Weak Bases and Base Ionization Constants

NH3 (aq) + H2O (l) NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq)

[NH4+][OH-]
Kb =
[NH3]

Kb is the base ionization constant

weak base
Kb
strength

Solve weak base problems like weak acids except solve

for [OH-] instead of [H+].

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25
Ionization Constants of Conjugate Acid-Base Pairs

HA (aq) H+ (aq) + A- (aq) Ka

A- (aq) + H2O (l) OH- (aq) + HA (aq) Kb

H2O (l) H+ (aq) + OH- (aq) Kw

KaKb = Kw

Weak Acid and Its Conjugate Base

Kw Kw
Ka = Kb =
Kb Ka
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 Diprotic and Triprotic Acids
• May yield more than one hydrogen ion per molecule.
• Ionize in a stepwise manner; that is, they lose one proton at
a time.
• An ionization constant expression can be written for each
ionization stage.
• Consequently, two or more equilibrium constant expressions
must often be used to calculate the concentrations of
species in the acid solution.

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28
Molecular Structure and Acid Strength
H X H+ + X-

The The
stronger weaker
the bond the acid

HF << HCl < HBr < HI

acidity
increases

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30
 Molecular Structure and Oxoacid Strength
- +
Z O H Z O- + H+

The O-H bond will be more polar and easier to break if:
• Z is very electronegative or
• Z is in a high oxidation state

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 Molecular Structure and Oxoacid Strength

1. Oxoacids having different central atoms (Z) that are from

the same group and that have the same oxidation number.

Acid strength increases with increasing electronegativity of Z

•• ••
O O
••
••

••
••
•• •• •• ••
H O Cl O H O Br O
••

••
•• •• •• •• •• ••

Cl is more electronegative than Br

acidity
HClO3 > HBrO3 increases

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 Molecular Structure and Acid Strength

2. Oxoacids having the same central atom (Z) but different

numbers of attached groups.

Acid strength increases as the oxidation number of Z increases.

HClO4 > HClO3 > HClO2 > HClO

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 Acid-Base Properties of Salts
Neutral Solutions:
Salts containing an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal
ion (except Be2+) and the conjugate base of a strong
acid (e.g. Cl-, Br-, and NO3-).
H2O
NaCl (s) Na+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

Basic Solutions:
Salts derived from a strong base and a weak acid.
H2O
NaCH3COOH (s) Na+ (aq) + CH3COO- (aq)

CH3COO- (aq) + H2O (l) CH3COOH (aq) + OH- (aq)

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 Acid-Base Properties of Salts
Acid Solutions:
Salts derived from a strong acid and a weak base.

H2O
NH4Cl (s) NH4+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

NH4+ (aq) NH3 (aq) + H+ (aq)

Salts with small, highly charged metal cations (e.g. Al3+,

Cr3+, and Be2+) and the conjugate base of a strong acid.

Al(H2O)3+
6 (aq) Al(OH)(H2O)52+(aq) + H+ (aq)

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 Acid-Base Properties of Salts

Solutions in which both the cation and the anion hydrolyze:

• Kb for the anion > Ka for the cation, solution will be basic
• Kb for the anion < Ka for the cation, solution will be acidic
• Kb for the anion  Ka for the cation, solution will be neutral

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38
 Definition of An Acid
Arrhenius acid is a substance that produces H+ (H3O+) in water

A Brønsted acid is a proton donor

A Lewis acid is a substance that can accept a pair of electrons

A Lewis base is a substance that can donate a pair of electrons

•• ••
H+ + OH- H O H
••
•• ••
acid base
H H
+
H+ + N H H N H
••

H H
acid base 40
 Lewis Acids and Bases

F H F H
F B + N H F B N H

••
F H F H
acid base

No protons donated or accepted!

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 Acid-Base Equilibria and
Solubility Equilibria
Chapter 16

1
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
The common ion effect is the shift in equilibrium caused by the
addition of a compound having an ion in common with the
dissolved substance.

The presence of a common ion suppresses the ionization of

a weak acid or a weak base.

Consider mixture of CH3COONa (strong electrolyte) and

CH3COOH (weak acid).

CH3COONa (s) Na+ (aq) + CH3COO- (aq)

common
CH3COOH (aq) H+ (aq) + CH3COO- (aq) ion

2
 Consider mixture of salt NaA and weak acid HA.

NaA (s) Na+ (aq) + A- (aq)

[H+][A-]
Ka =
HA (aq) H+ (aq) + A- (aq) [HA]

Ka [HA]
[H+] =
[A-] Henderson-Hasselbalch
equation
[HA]
-log [H+] = -log Ka - log
[A-]
[conjugate base]
pH = pKa + log
[A-] [acid]
-log [H+] = -log Ka + log
[HA]

[A-]
pH = pKa + log pKa = -log Ka
[HA]
3
What is the pH of a solution containing 0.30 M HCOOH and
0.52 M HCOOK?

Mixture of weak acid and conjugate base!

HCOOH (aq) H+ (aq) + HCOO- (aq)

Initial (M) 0.30 0.00 0.52
Change (M) -x +x +x
Equilibrium (M) 0.30 - x x 0.52 + x
[HCOO-]
Common ion effect pH = pKa + log
[HCOOH]
0.30 – x  0.30
[0.52]
0.52 + x  0.52 pH = 3.77 + log = 4.01
[0.30]
HCOOH pKa = 3.77
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A buffer solution is a solution of:
1. A weak acid or a weak base and
2. The salt of the weak acid or weak base
Both must be present!

A buffer solution has the ability to resist changes in pH upon

the addition of small amounts of either acid or base.

Consider an equal molar mixture of CH3COOH and CH3COONa

Add strong acid
H+ (aq) + CH3COO- (aq) CH3COOH (aq)
Add strong base
OH- (aq) + CH3COOH (aq) CH3COO- (aq) + H2O (l)
5
 HCl H+ + Cl-
HCl + CH3COO- CH3COOH + Cl-

6
Which of the following are buffer systems? (a) KF/HF
(b) KBr/HBr, (c) Na2CO3/NaHCO3

(a) KF is a weak acid and F- is its conjugate base

buffer solution
(b) HBr is a strong acid
not a buffer solution
(c) CO32- is a weak base and HCO3- is its conjugate acid
buffer solution

7
 Calculate the pH of the 0.30 M NH3/0.36 M NH4Cl buffer
system. What is the pH after the addition of 20.0 mL of 0.050
M NaOH to 80.0 mL of the buffer solution?

NH4+ (aq) H+ (aq) + NH3 (aq)

[NH3] [0.30]
pH = pKa + log pKa = 9.25 pH = 9.25 + log = 9.17
[NH4+] [0.36]

start (moles) 0.029 0.001 0.024

NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq) H2O (l) + NH3 (aq)
end (moles) 0.028 0.0 0.025

final volume = 80.0 mL + 20.0 mL = 100 mL

0.028 0.025 [0.25]

[NH4 +] = [NH3] = pH = 9.25 + log = 9.20
0.10 0.10 [0.28] 8
 Titrations (Review)
In a titration a solution of accurately known concentration is
added gradually added to another solution of unknown
concentration until the chemical reaction between the two
solutions is complete.

Equivalence point – the point at which the reaction is complete

Indicator – substance that changes color at (or near) the
equivalence point

Slowly add base

to unknown acid
UNTIL
The indicator
changes color
(pink) 10
Alternative Method of Equivalence Point Detection

monitor pH
11
Strong Acid-Strong Base Titrations
NaOH (aq) + HCl (aq) H2O (l) + NaCl (aq)

OH- (aq) + H+ (aq) H2O (l)

12
Weak Acid-Strong Base Titrations
CH3COOH (aq) + NaOH (aq) CH3COONa (aq) + H2O (l)
CH3COOH (aq) + OH- (aq) CH3COO- (aq) + H2O (l)
At equivalence point (pH > 7):
CH3COO- (aq) + H2O (l) OH- (aq) + CH3COOH (aq)

13
Strong Acid-Weak Base Titrations
HCl (aq) + NH3 (aq) NH4Cl (aq)
H+ (aq) + NH3 (aq) NH4Cl (aq)
At equivalence point (pH < 7):
NH4+ (aq) + H2O (l) NH3 (aq) + H+ (aq)

14
 Exactly 100 mL of 0.10 M HNO2 are titrated with a 0.10 M
NaOH solution. What is the pH at the equivalence point ?

start (moles) 0.01 0.01

HNO2 (aq) + OH- (aq) NO2- (aq) + H2O (l)
end (moles) 0.0 0.0 0.01
0.01
Final volume = 200 mL [NO2-] = = 0.05 M
0.200
NO2- (aq) + H2O (l) OH- (aq) + HNO2 (aq)

Initial (M) 0.05 0.00 0.00

Change (M) -x +x +x
Equilibrium (M) 0.05 - x x x
[OH-][HNO2] x2
Kb = = = 2.2 x 10-11 pOH = 5.98
[NO2-] 0.05-x
pH = 14 – pOH = 8.02
0.05 – x  0.05 x  1.05 x 10-6 = [OH-] 15
 Acid-Base Indicators
HIn (aq) H+ (aq) + In- (aq)
[HIn]
-  10 Color of acid (HIn) predominates
[In ]
[HIn] -) predominates
 10 Color of conjugate base (In
[In-]

16
Solutions of Red Cabbage Extract

pH
17
The titration curve of a strong acid with a strong base.

18
Which indicator(s) would you use for a titration of HNO2 with
KOH ?

Weak acid titrated with strong base.

At equivalence point, will have conjugate base of weak acid.
At equivalence point, pH > 7
Use cresol red or phenolphthalein

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