Lecture 7 Homework Solution

We have :
one strong acid (HBr)
one strong base (KOH),
and one salt (NH4COOH) of
a weak acid (HCOOH)
and a weak base (NH3)
The remaining combinations are:
No acid + No base = H2O
Strong base (KOH) + Strong acid (HBr) = KBr (potassium bromide)
Strong base (KOH) + Weak acid (HCOOH) = HCOOK (potassium formate)
Weak base (NH3) + Strong acid (HBr) = NH4Br (ammonium bromide)

The pH calculations can be performed on two levels :

either on the level of the H+ concentration (involves square roots)
or on the level of pH (involves logarithms)

Lets proceed from the easiest ones through to the most difficult

0. KBr
Potassium bromide is a salt of a strong base and a strong acid. It will exhibit neutral pH
regardless its concentration in the solution

1. HBr
HBr is a strong acid. As such it is fully dissociated. The concentration of H+ is equal to the
concentration of HBr.
H cHBr c 0.158mol/L
pH log H log 0.158 0.801

2. KOH
KOH is a strong base. As such it is fully dissociated. The concentration of OH- is equal to the
concentration of KOH.

OH cKOH c 0.158mol/L
pOH log OH log 0.158 0.801
pH 14 pOH 14 0.801 13.199

3. HCOOH
Formic acid is a weak acid. It is only partially dissociated. The equilibrium constant for this
dissociation is also a constant of acidity Kd = Ka.
pK a 3.8
K a 103.8 1.585 104
H K a cHCOOH 1.585 104 0.158 2.504 105 5.004 103 mol/L
pH log 5.004 103 2.301

Note 1 : This is the easiest method of calculating the pH of a weak acid. The resulting
concentration is far higher than the concentration of H+ provided by the dissociation of pure

water (which is in the range of 10-7) so there is no point in using the more complex formulae.
They will give the same results but will require much more effort.
Note 2: Alternatively you can use a formula pH log

Ka c

1
pKa log c
2

4. NH3
Ammonia is a weak base. It is only partially dissociated. The equilibrium constant for this
dissociation is also a constant of basicity Kd = Kb.
pKb 4.8
Kb 104.8 1.585 105
OH Kb cNH3 1.585 105 0.158 2.504 106 1.582 103 mol/L
pOH log 1.582 103 2.801
pH 14 pOH 14 2.801 11.199

Note 1 : Same as above.

Note 2 : Alternatively you can use a formula pOH log

Kb c

1
pKb log c
2

5. HCOOK
Potassium formate is a salt of a weak acid and a strong base. The solution will be basic.
H

Ka Kw
1.585 104 1014

3.167 109 mol/L

cHCOOK
0.158

pH log 3.167 109 8.499

Alternatively you can use a formula directly for pH

1
14 pK a log c
2
1
pH 14 3.8 log 0.158 8.499
2
pH

Note: The more accurate formula for this type of salt will not give significant improvement
Ka Kw
1.585 104 1014
H

3.166 109 mol/L

4
cHCOOK K a
0.158 1.585 10

pH log 3.166 109 8.500

6. NH4Br
Ammonium bromide is a salt of a weak base and a strong acid. The solution will be acidic.
OH

Kb K w
1.585 105 1014

1.002 109 mol/L

cNH 4 Br
0.158

pOH log 1.002 109 8.999

pH 14 pOH 5.001

Alternatively you can use a formula directly for pOH

1
14 pKb log c
2
1
pOH 14 4.8 log 0.158 8.999
2
pH 14 pOH 5.001
pOH

Note: The more accurate formula for this type of salt will not give significant improvement
Kb K w
1.585 105 1014
OH

1.002 109 mol/L

5
cNH 4 Br Kb
0.158 1.585 10
pOH log 1.002 109 8.999
pH 14 pOH 14 8.999 5.001

7. NH4OOCH
Ammonium formate is a salt of a weak acid and a weak base. Formic acid is a stronger
electrolyte than ammonia (pKa < pKb). The solution will be acidic.
If the salt concentration is high enough then the pH of the solution is independent of the salt
concentration.

1
pK w pK a pKb
2
1
pH 14 3.8 4.8 6.5
2
pH

H 10 pH 106.5 3.162 107 mol/L

Note: Salts of weak acids and weak bases represent the most complex case for computational
solution. However, if we restrict ourselves to the [relatively] high concentration region, the
solution of the equilibrium problem becomes one of the easiest.

A minimum to remember

Strong acid

H c

or pH log c

Weak acid

H K a c

or pH

Weak acid + Strong base

H =

Ka Kw
c

Weak acid + Weak base

all other combinations can be obtained by replacements

H OH
pH pOH
K a Kb
and substitutions
pH 14 pOH
Kw
H
OH

A supplementary material for CHE144

Prepared by Lubomir Hnedkovsky, April 2014

1
pK a log c
2
1
or pH 14 pK a log c
2
1
pH 14 pK a pK b
2