3.00dm _ _ 9.125 mol) cr 24.0dm> mol? mol 0.125 mol = ——_ = ——— = 0.500 moldm * {HCY = volume — 0.250dm pH = ~log 0.500 = 0.30 Worked example 2 ae Calculate the pH of a 2.00 mol dm’ solution of hydrochloric acid. Answer (H")] pH 00 moldm=> log 2.00 = -0.30 Sulfuric acid, H,SO,, is only a strong acid in its first ionisation: H,S0, > Ht + HSO,- The second ionisation is weak: HSO,- = H* + 0,2 and is suppressed by the H* ions from the first ionisation. So, a solution of sulfuric acid of concentration 0.10 moldm-? has [H*] of just above 0.10 moldm, not 0.20moldm- and hence its PH is very slightly less than 1.00. The pH of strong bases A strong base is totally ionised in aqueous solution. For example, a solution of a soluble base MOH of concentration 0.123 mol dm: 3 has a hydroxide ion concen- tration of 0.123 mol dm-3, A solution of a strong base M(OH), of concentration 0.123 moldm*® has a hydroxide ion concentration of 0.246 moldm®, as there are two moles of OH- ions per mole of base. The pH can be worked out in one of two ways. Method 1 @ Using the expression PH + pOH = 14, calculate POH and hence pH. If [OH] = 0.123 mol dm- POH = ~log [OH”]= -10g0.123 = 0.91 PH = 14 - pOH = 14- 0.91 = 13.09 Method 2 @ Using the expression [H*] x [OH-] = 1.0 x 10-* mol’ dm, calculate [H*] and hence the pH. In the example above ([OH"] = 0.123 moldm3 Chapter 5: Acid-base equilibria