Acid Strength and

Structure
Acid-Base
Properties
AP Chemistry
of Salts

Structural Considerations of
Acids
Acid

strength is based on its ability to

release a proton (H+)
Any factors that influence this
release is important in determining
relative acid strength.
Two main factors of strength are:
Strength of the H-X bond
The polarity of the H-X bond

Bond Strength
Strongest Bond

Weakest Bond

HF Weakest Acid
HCl
HBr
Strongest Acid
HI

HI has a long bond length strongest acid

HF has a short bond length weakest acid

Bond Polarity and

Electronegativity
Increasing

electronegativity of
associated atoms increase polarity
around the proton.
This make it more likely for the
proton to dissociate.
Increasing number of oxygen atoms
in oxy-acids also increases polarity of
the molecule.

Strongest
Acid

HClO4
HClO3

H2SO4

HNO3

HCLO2

H2SO3

HNO2

HClO
Weakest acid

More oxygens = stronger acid

More oxygens means more electrons are pulled
away from the proton thereby weakening that
bond.

Which will be the strongest

acid and why?
HClO3

Strongest

HBrO3

Most
electronegative
halogen

HIO3

Acid-Base Properties of Salts

A salt is technically defined as a

substance containing a cation other
than H+ and an anion other than OH-.
When an acid and base react in a
neutralization reaction, a salt and
water are always produced.
When a salt dissolves in water it
breaks into its ions.
Under certain conditions (depending
on the cation and anion in the salt) a
salt solution can be acidic or basic.

1.) The salt produced by the reaction

of a strong acid and a strong base is
always neutral. (NaCl, KCl, NaNO3)
NaCl Na+ + Cl

The cation comes from the base

The anion comes from the acid
Cl- is the conjugate base of a strong acid
HCl. It wants to stay as an ion!
Na+ is the conjugate acid of a strong
base NaOH. It also wants to stay an ion
It will not attack water (hydrolysis) and
change the pH

2) The salt produced by the reaction

of a weak acid and a strong base is
basic.
(NaC2H3O2, NaF)

F- is the conjugate base of a weak acid HF

This makes F- as strong base!

It will attack water (hydrolyze) as
follows:
F- + H2O HF + OH This increases [OH-] making the
solution basic!

3.) The salt produced by the reaction

of a strong acid and a weak base is
acidic.
(NH4Cl, NH4NO3)

NH4+ is the conjugate acid of a

weak base, NH3

This makes NH4+ a strong acid.

It will give water its H+ ion in
solution as follows:
NH4+ + H2O H3O+ + NH3
This increases [H+] making the solution
acidic!

4.) A salt made up of a highly

charge metal ion and a strong
acid will be acidic.
(FeCl3,
Al(NO3)3)
3+
H
Fe3+ ---- O
H

When the Fe is solvated by

water the high charge pulls
electrons away from oxygen,
which then in turn pulls electrons
away from the hydrogens with
more force.
This weakens the H-O bond and
allows the H+ to dissociate more
easily.

5.)The salt produced by the

reaction of a weak acid and a
weak base depends of the Ka of
the acid: (NH4CN, NH4C2H3O2)

If

Ka>Kb, an acidic salt results.

If

Ka<Kb, a basic salt results.

If

Ka = Kb, a neutral salt results.

 An

important relationship at
25oC:
Ka x Kb = Kw

Where

Ka is the dissociation
constant for the acid and Kb is
the dissociation constant for the
conjugate base.

Determining pH of Salt Solutions

What is the pH of a 0.5M NaF solution. The
Ka of HF is 7.2 x 10-4.
In an aqueous solution, NaF will completely
dissociate (its an ionic compound) and the
following equilibrium exists:
F-(aq)+ H2O(l)
HF(aq)+OH-(aq)

The Na+ has no acid or base properties and

therefore is not considered in the equilibrium,
Since HF is a weak acid, its conjugate base, Fshould be considered a strong base. Therefore
the Kb expression will be important:

Ka
Kb

x
=

Kb =
Kw/Ka

Kw
=

so:
1.39x10-11

F- (aq)+ H2O(l)

(aq)
Initial:
0.5M
----Equil. : 0.5 x -----

HF(aq) + OH-

0
x

0
x

1.39 x 10-11 =
x2
x2
0.5 x
0.5

x = 5.3 x 10-6 M
x = [OH-], so pOH = 5.28 and pH = 8.72
As expected, the solution is basic.

or

1.39 x 10-11 =