Calculate Concentration and pH

In summary: The dissociation of formic acid is more significant at a higher concentration of nitric acid. The Ka value for formic acid is 1.8x10^-4. This means that at 0.10 M in nitric acid, only 3.6 e-4 of the hydronium ions are from the nitric acid. This leaves 0.4 e-4 of the hydronium ions from the formic acid. Therefore, the pH of the solution would be 2.37.
  • #1
geffman1
67
0

Homework Statement


calculate the formate ion concentration and pH of a solution that is 0.05m in formic acid (HCOOH;Ka=1.8x10^-4) and 0.10M in HNO3.


hey guys just wondering how the equation goes??

like this?? HCOOH + HNO3>>?
 
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  • #2
Would knowing that nearly all of the hydronium ion concentration is from the nitric acid help you?
 
  • #3
The equation you need is the equation for Ka. Try that one first...
 
  • #4
when i tried doing the Ka i get x/(0.05*0.1)=1.8e-4 therefore x=3.6e-4 however when i -log3.6e-4 i get a ph of 3.44, however the answer is a pH of 1?? thanks for the replys
 
Last edited:
  • #5
Nitric Acid is a strong acid; this means that its ions completely dissociate in water solution. You essentially have a solution which has 0.10 M in hydronium ion. What would be the pH of just that? How would 0.10 M hydronium affect the dissociation of the formic acid?
 
  • #6
does that mean just make the dissocation equation just with HNO3. well this is what i did. HNO3>NO3 + H therefore equation equals. [H][NO3]/[HNO3]=1.8e-4 therefore solving this x^2/0.1=1.8e-4 therefore i get a ph of 2.37? thansk for replying
 
  • #7
geffman1 said:
does that mean just make the dissocation equation just with HNO3. well this is what i did. HNO3>NO3 + H therefore equation equals. [H][NO3]/[HNO3]=1.8e-4 therefore solving this x^2/0.1=1.8e-4 therefore i get a ph of 2.37? thansk for replying

You are misapplying your information. Nitric acid is a strong acid. Formic acid is the weak acid. The concentration of nitric acid is high enough that it may push the dissociation of formic acid to the left in regard to HCHO <------> H+ + CHO-
 
  • #8
i am confused haha, could u show me ur working for the dissocaition working please, if it is a weak acid isn't that's y the give the ka value for it. so does this just mean i used the dissociation expression for HCOOH and just used -log for HNO3? thansk
 
  • #9
wow i think it just clicked, since HCOOH is weak, can we ignored it and just use the concentration of NO3 because its strong. because that works out. if that is right u just saved me so much time. thanksss heaps
 
  • #10
Fine! This indicates some good progress.
 

1. What is concentration and how is it calculated?

Concentration refers to the amount of a substance present in a given volume or mass. It is typically expressed in units such as molarity (moles per liter) or weight/volume (grams per liter). To calculate concentration, divide the amount of substance by the volume or mass of the solution.

2. How is pH calculated?

pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution on a scale from 0 to 14. It is calculated by taking the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration in moles per liter. The formula for pH is pH = -log[H+], where [H+] is the hydrogen ion concentration.

3. What is the relationship between concentration and pH?

The concentration and pH of a solution are directly related. As the concentration of hydrogen ions increases, the pH decreases, making the solution more acidic. On the other hand, as the concentration of hydrogen ions decreases, the pH increases, making the solution more basic.

4. How do you convert between units of concentration and pH?

To convert between units of concentration, you can use conversion factors based on the molar ratio of the substances involved. To convert between concentration and pH, you can use the formula pH = -log[H+]. You can also use online calculators or tables to make conversions easier.

5. How does temperature affect concentration and pH?

Temperature can affect both concentration and pH. Changes in temperature can cause substances to dissolve more or less readily, which can affect the concentration of a solution. Additionally, pH is temperature dependent, with higher temperatures leading to a decrease in pH due to increased dissociation of hydrogen ions from water molecules.

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