Solve Acid-Base Equilibrium: Calculate Ka of HA

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In summary: Thanks for catching that! In summary, a 0.682-gram sample of an unknown weak monoprotic organic acid, HA, was dissolved in sufficient water to make 50 milliliters of solution. After the addition of 10.6 milliliters of base, a pH of 5.65 was recorded. The equivalence point (end point) was reached after the addition of 27.4 milliliters of the 0.135-molar NaOH. The number of moles of acid in the original sample was 3.70 * 10^-3 mol HA. The molecular weight of the acid HA was 184.37 g/mol. The number of moles of unreacted HA remaining in solution when the pH was 5.
  • #1
likeachild
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Homework Statement


1) A 0.682-gram sample of an unknown weak monoprotic organic acid, HA, was dissolved in sufficient water to make 50 milliliters of solution and was titrated with a 0.135-molar NaOH solution. After the addition of 10.6 milliliters of base, a pH of 5.65 was recorded. The equivalence point (end point) was reached after the addition of 27.4 milliliters of the 0.135-molar NaOH.

(a) Calculate the number of moles of acid in the original sample.
Done. 3.70 * 10^-3 mol HA
(b) Calculate the molecular weight of the acid HA.
Done. 184.37 g/mol
(c) Calc the number of moles of unreacted HA remaining in solution when the pH was 5.65.
done. 0.0027 mol
(d) Calculate the [H3O+] at pH = 5.65.
done. 2.2 * 10^-6
(e) Calculate the value of the ionization constant, Ka, of the acid HA.
I am using an ICE chart, with the equation HA <-> H+ + A-
The initial concentration for HA I used was 0.0027 mol/ 0.050 L
the initial concentration for H+ was 2.2 * 10 ^-6, which is also equal to the concentration of A-.
However, when I plug in these values into the equilibrium expression, Ka = ([H+][A-])/[HA], I get 1.1 * 10^ -10, and the answer key says that the correct answer is 1.4 * 10 ^-6.

Am I doing something wrong here, or is the answer key wrong?
 
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  • #2
Show your work on e). What values of [H+], [A-] and [HA] did you use?
 
  • #3
Ka = [tex]\frac{[H+][A-]}{[HA]}[/tex]

[H+] = 2.2 * 10^-6 (got this from pH 5.65)
[A-] = 2.2 * 10^-6
[HA] = 0.0027 mol/ 0.050 L
 
  • #4
If you write out all of the equations you have and plug them into each other, you'll see that [H+] is not equal to [A-]. Your assumption that they are equal is throwing you off.

Also don't forget that the volume of the entire solution changed because you added the NaOH solution.
 
  • #5
thanks.
I forgot about all the [A-] ions that came into the system as a result of the neutralization of the weak acid with NaOH.
 

1. What is the definition of Ka?

Ka, also known as the acid dissociation constant, is a measure of how easily an acid dissociates, or breaks apart, in a solution. It is a numerical value that represents the strength of an acid.

2. How do you calculate Ka?

Ka can be calculated by dividing the concentration of products (H+ ions and conjugate base) by the concentration of the reactant (undissociated acid). The equation for Ka is Ka = [H+][A-]/[HA], where [H+] represents the concentration of hydrogen ions, [A-] represents the concentration of the conjugate base, and [HA] represents the concentration of the undissociated acid.

3. What is the significance of calculating Ka?

Calculating Ka allows us to determine the strength of an acid and predict its behavior in a solution. A higher Ka value indicates a stronger acid that will dissociate more readily, while a lower Ka value indicates a weaker acid that will not dissociate as easily.

4. How does temperature affect Ka?

Temperature can impact the value of Ka. Generally, as temperature increases, the value of Ka also increases. This is because higher temperatures provide more energy for acids to dissociate, making them stronger. However, some acids may have a decrease in Ka at higher temperatures due to other factors, such as changes in molecular structure.

5. What are some real-life applications of calculating Ka?

Calculating Ka is important in many areas of chemistry, including biochemistry, pharmaceuticals, and environmental science. For example, in biochemistry, Ka is used to determine the strength of amino acids and other biomolecules. In the pharmaceutical industry, Ka is used to analyze the effectiveness and stability of drugs. In environmental science, Ka is used to study the acidity of water bodies and the impact of acid rain.

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