Textbook Question
Which of the following solutions is the most basic?(a) 0.6 M NaCl, (b) 0.150 M CsOH, (c) 0.100 M Sr1OH22.
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Ch.16 - Acid-Base Equilibria
Brown14th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780134414232
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 - Introduction: Matter, Energy, and Measurement140
- Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules, and Ions192
- Ch.3 - Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry172
- Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution156
- Ch.5 - Thermochemistry151
- Ch.6 - Electronic Structure of Atoms137
- Ch.7 - Periodic Properties of the Elements127
- Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding143
- Ch.9 - Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories167
- Ch.10 - Gases147
- Ch.11 - Liquids and Intermolecular Forces97
- Ch.12 - Solids and Modern Materials129
- Ch.13 - Properties of Solutions126
- Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics175
- Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium107
- Ch.16 - Acid-Base Equilibria127
- Ch.17 - Additional Aspects of Aqueous Equilibria133
- Ch.18 - Chemistry of the Environment88
- Ch.19 - Chemical Thermodynamics140
- Ch.20 - Electrochemistry137
- Ch.21 - Nuclear Chemistry99
- Ch.22 - Chemistry of the Nonmetals66
- Ch.23 - Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry69
- Ch.24 - The Chemistry of Life: Organic and Biological Chemistry11
Brown14th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780134414232Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 16, Problem 31
Which of the following solutions is the most acidic? (a) 0.2 M Ba(OH)2, (b) 0.2 M H2SO3, (c) 1.0 M glucose 1C6H12O6).
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the nature of each compound in the solutions: Ba(OH)2 is a strong base, H2SO3 is a weak acid, and glucose (C6H12O6) is a neutral compound.
Recall that strong bases increase pH and make solutions more basic, while acids contribute to a lower pH making solutions more acidic.
Understand that neutral compounds like glucose do not affect the pH of the solution significantly.
Compare the strength of the acidic and basic solutions: Since Ba(OH)2 is a strong base, its solution will have a high pH. H2SO3, being a weak acid, will not fully dissociate but will still contribute to lowering the pH of its solution.
Conclude that among the given options, the solution of H2SO3 will be the most acidic because it is the only acid among them and it contributes to lowering the pH.
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Acidity and pH Scale
Acidity refers to the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution, which determines its pH level. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with lower values indicating higher acidity. A solution with a pH less than 7 is considered acidic, while a pH greater than 7 is basic. Understanding the pH scale is essential for comparing the acidity of different solutions.
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02:33
The pH Scale
Strong vs. Weak Acids
Acids can be classified as strong or weak based on their ability to dissociate in water. Strong acids, like sulfuric acid (H2SO4), completely dissociate into their ions, resulting in a higher concentration of H+ ions. In contrast, weak acids, such as sulfurous acid (H2SO3), only partially dissociate, leading to a lower concentration of H+ ions. This distinction is crucial for determining which solution is the most acidic.
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02:19Weak Acid-Strong Base Titration Curve
Concentration and Dilution
The concentration of a solution refers to the amount of solute present in a given volume of solvent. In this question, the molarity (M) indicates the concentration of each solution. Understanding how concentration affects acidity is important, as a higher concentration of a strong acid will produce more H+ ions, making the solution more acidic compared to weaker acids or neutral substances like glucose.
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00:58Dilution Equation
Related Practice
Textbook Question
Deuterium oxide 1D2O, where D is deuterium, the hydrogen-2 isotope) has an ion-product constant, Kw, of 8.9 * 10-16 at 20 °C. Calculate 3D+4 and 3OD-4 for pure (neutral) D2O at this temperature.
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Textbook Question
Write the expression for the ion product constant for water, Kw.
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Textbook Question
Write a chemical equation that illustrates the autoionization of water.
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Textbook Question
Calculate 3OH-4 for each of the following solutions, and indicate whether the solution is acidic, basic, or neutral: (a) 3H+4 = 0.0505 M
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Textbook Question
By what factor does [H+] change for a pH change of (a) 2.00 units? (b) 0.50 units?
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