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Wed 26 Sep, 2012 06:49 pm
Calculate the pH of a 0.05 mol/L solution of acetic acid, which has a dissociation constant (Ka) of 1.76x10–5 mol/L.
Teacher explained but I lost my notebook. Can you please explain?
@cicibebe,
CH3COOH <-> CH3COO- + H+
Ka = [CH3COO-][H+]/[CH3COOH] = 1.76E-5 m/l
[CH3COOH] = 0.05 m/l
[H+] = [CH3COO-] m/l
let x = [H+] m/l
then
1.76E-5 = x^2/5E-2
solve for x
x = ((1.76E-5)(5E-2))^.5 = (8.8E-7)^.5 = 9.38E-4
[H+] = x = 9.38E-4 m/l
pH = -log[H+] = -log(9.38E-4) ~= -log(1E-3) = 3
Rap