pH

1. pH scale- a convenient way to measure the acidity of a solution. pH decreases as [H

+
] increases.
pH = -log [H
+
]
A. Sig Figs for logs- the number of decimals in the log should equal the number of sig figs in the number.
B. an also be used to e!press other quantities"
pK = -log K
p[OH
-
] = -log [OH
-
]
. K
w
= [H
+
][OH
-
]
log K
w
= log [H
+
] + log [OH
-
]
pK
w
= pH + pOH
14 = pH + pOH
Exercise 7 Calculating pH and pOH
alculate pH and p#H for each of the following solutions at $%&.
a. 1.' ( 1'
-)
M #H
-
. 1.' M H
*
!" pH = 11.##
pOH = $.##
%" pH = #.##
pOH = 14.##
Exercise & Calculating pH
+he pH of a sample of human blood was measured to be ,.-1 at $%&. alculate p#H. /H
*
0. and /#H
-
0 for the
sample.
pOH = '.()
[H
+
] = $.) * 1#
-&
[OH
-
] = +.' * 1#
-7
M
Exercise ) pH o, -trong !cids
a. alculate the pH of '.1' M H1#
)
.
. alculate the pH of 1.' ( 1'
-1'
M Hl.
!" pH = 1.##
%" pH = 7.##
Exercise 1# ./e pH o, -trong %ases
alculate the pH of a %.' ( 1'
-$
M 1a#H solution.
pH = 1+.7#
$. pH o, wea0 acids and ases- they do not dissociate completely so they form an equilibrium system and
/H
*
0 or /#H
-
0 concentrations loo2 li2e equilibrium problems. Follow these steps
A. 3dentify the ma4or species in the solution 5 those ions that are in large quantities6
B. hoose the species that can produce H
*
and write a balances equation for them.
. 7rite the equilibrium e!pression for the dominant equilibrium.
8. Set up a 93: table.
:. alculate pH from /H
*
0.
Exercise 11 ./e pH o, 1ea0 !cids
+he hypochlorite ion 5#l
-
6 is a strong o!idi;ing agent often found in household bleaches and disinfectants. 3t
is also the active ingredient that forms when swimming pool water is treated with chlorine. 3n addition to its
o!idi;ing abilities. the hypochlorite ion has a relatively high affinity for protons 5it is a much stronger base than
l
-
. for e!ample6 and forms the wea2ly acidic hypochlorous acid 5H#l. <
a
= ).% ( 1'
->
6. alculate the pH of a
'.1'' M aqueous solution of hypochlorous acid.
pH = 4.+$
$. 2eter3ination o, t/e pH o, a 4ixture o, 1ea0 !cids- #nly the acid with the largest <
a
value will
contribute an appreciable /H
*
0. 8etermine the pH based on this acid and ignore any others.
Exercise 1+ ./e pH o, 1ea0 !cid 4ixtures
alculate the pH of a solution that contains 1.'' M H1 5<
a
= ?.$ ( 1'
-1'
6 and %.'' M H1#
$
5<
a
= -.' ( 1'
--
6.
Also calculate the concentration of cyanide ion 51
-
6 in this solution at equilibrium.
pH = 1.$(
[C5
-
] = 1.4 * 1#
-&
M
Exercise 1$ Calculating 6ercent 2issociation
alculate the percent dissociation of acetic acid 5<
a
= 1.> ( 1'
-%
6 in each of the following solutions.
a. 1.'' M H
$
H
)
#
$
. '.1'' M H
$
H
)
#
$
!" = #.4+ 7
%" = 1.$ 7
Exercise 14 Calculating K
a
,ro3 6ercent 2issociation
@actic acid 5H
)
H
%
#
)
6 is a waste product that accumulates in muscle tissue during e!ertion. leading to pain and
a feeling of fatigue. 3n a '.1'' M aqueous solution. lactic acid is ).,A dissociated. alculate the value of <
a

for this acid.
K
a
= 1.4 * 1#
-4
-. 8etermination of the pH of a wea0 ase is very similar to the determination of the pH of a wea2 acid.
Follow the same steps. 9emember. however. that x is the [OH
-
] and ta2ing the negative log of x will give you
the pOH and not the pHB
Exercise 1( ./e pH o, 1ea0 %ases 8
alculate the pH for a 1%.' M solution of 1H
)
5<
b
= 1.> ( 1'
-%
6.
pH = 1+.+#
Exercise 1' ./e pH o, 1ea0 %ases 88
alculate the pH of a 1.' M solution of methylamine 5<
b
= -.)> ( 1'
--
6.
pH = 1+.$+
%. 8etermination of the pH of a wea0 ase is very similar to the determination of the pH of a wea2 acid.
Follow the same steps. 9emember. however. that x is the [OH
-
] and ta2ing the negative log of x will give
you the pOH and not the pHB
Exercise 1( ./e pH o, 1ea0 %ases 8
alculate the pH for a 1%.' M solution of 1H
)
5<
b
= 1.> ( 1'
-%
6.
pH = 1+.+#
Exercise 1' ./e pH o, 1ea0 %ases 88
alculate the pH of a 1.' M solution of methylamine 5<
b
= -.)> ( 1'
--
6.
pH = 1+.$+
(. Calculating pH o, pol9protic acids-Acids with more than one ioni;able hydrogen will ioni;e in steps.
:ach dissociation has its own <
a
value.
A. +he ,irst dissociation will be the greatest and subsequent dissociations will have much smaller
equilibrium constants. As each H is removed. the remaining acid gets wea2er and therefore has a smaller
<
a
. As the negative charge on the acid increases it becomes more difficult to remove the positively charged
proton.

:!ample" onsider the dissociation of phosphoric acid.
H
)
C#
-5aq6
* H
$
#
5l6
D=E H
)
#
*
5aq6
* H
$
C#
-
-
5aq6
<a
1
= ,.% ! 1'
-)
H
$
C#
-
-
5aq6
* H
$
#
5l6
D=E H
)
#
*
5aq6
* HC#
-
$-
5aq6
<a
$
= ?.$ ! 1'
->


HC#
-
$-
5aq6
* H
$
#
5l6
D=E H
)
#
*
5aq6
* C#
-
)-
5aq6


<a
)
= -.> ! 1'
-1)
@oo2ing at the <a values. it is obvious that only the first dissociation will be important in determining the
pH of the solution. :!cept for H
$
S#
-
. polyprotic acids have <
a$
and <
a)
values so much wea2er than their
<
a1
value that the $nd and )rd 5if applicable6 dissociation can be ignored.
Exercise 17 ./e pH o, a 6ol9protic !cid
alculate the pH of a %.' M H
)
C#
-
solution and the equilibrium concentrations of the species H
)
C#
-
. H
$
C#
-
-
.
HC#
-
$-
. and C#
-
)-
.
pH = #.7+
[H
$
6O
4
] = 4.& M
[H
+
6O
4
-
] = #.1) M
[H6O
4
+-
] = '.+ * 1#
-&
M
[6O
4
$-
] = 1.' * 1#
-1)
M
Exercise 1& ./e pH o, a -ul,uric !cid
alculate the pH of a 1.' M H
$
S#
-
solution.
pH = #.##
Exercise 1) ./e pH o, a -ul,uric !cid
alculate the pH of a 1.' ( 1'
-$
M H
$
S#
-
solution.
pH = 1.&4