NEUTRALIZATION OF WEAK BASE vs.

STRONG ACID
The calculations needed to draw the titration curve for a weak base are
analogous to those for a weak acid are given below,

EXAMPLE: 50mL of 0.05M NaCN (weak base) is titrated with 0.1M HCl
(strong acid).
The reaction is,

CN H3O HCN H2O

pH is calculated at different stages of titrant addition.

A. 0.00mL of reagent
At this point the solution in the conical flask contains only the base
NaCN, therefore pH of the solution is the pH obtained on
dissociation of NaCN in water.

CN H2O HCN OH
 [OH-][HCN]
Dissociation constant of base NaCN, Kb =
[CN-]

We know, Ka.Kb = Kw
Kw
Kb =
Ka
How did we get Ka.Kb = Kw ?
[4+][-]
NH3 H2O NH4 OH Kb=
[3]
[3][3+]
NH4 H2O NH3 H3O Ka=
[4+]

Multiplication of one equilibrium constant by another, we get,

[4+][-] [3][3+]
Ka.Kb = . = [H3O+] [OH-]
[3] [4+]

We know, [H3O+] [OH-] = K

Therefore, Ka.Kb = Kw

[OH-][HCN] Kw 1.00 x 10-14

Kb = = = -10
= 1.61 x 10-5
[CN-] Ka 6.2 x 10

[OH-]= [HCN]
[CN-]= CNaCN [ OH-] CNaCN = 0.050M
[OH-][HCN]
Kb =
[CN-]
[OH-][OH-]
=
[CN-]
[OH-]2
=
0.050

[OH-] = Kb x 0.050 = 1.61 x 10-5 0.050 = 8.97 x 10-4

 We know, pH = 14 pOH
= 14 [ -log (8.97 x 10-4)]
= 10.95
B. 10.00mL of reagent
Addition of the acid produces a buffer with the composition given by,

50 x 0.0510 x 0.1
CNaCN =
50+10
1.50
= M
60
10 x 0.1
CHCN =
60
1.0
= M
60
These values are then substituted into the expression for the acid
dissociation constant of HCN to give [H3O+] directly,

HCN H2O H3O+ CN-

[H3O+][CN-]
Ka =
[HCN]
1.0
Ka x [HCN] 6.2 x 10-10 x ( )
60
[H3O+] = = 1.5 = 4.13 x 10-10
[CN-]
60
pH = -log (4.13 x 10-10) = 9.38

C. 25.0mL of reagent
This volume corresponds to the equivalence point, where the principal
solute species is the weak acid HCN. Thus,
25 x 0.1 2.5
CHCN = = = 0.0333 M
50+25 75
 Applying the formula,
[H3O+] = Ka x CHCN = 6.2 x 10-10 x 0.0333 = 4.45 x 10-6 M

pH = -log (4.45 x 10-6) = 5.34

D. 26.0 mL of reagent
The excess of strong acid now present represses the dissociation of the
HCN to the point where its contribution to the pH is negligible. Thus,

26 x 0.150 x 0.05
[H3O+] = CHCl= = 1.32 x 10-3 M
76

pH = -log (1.32 x 10-3) = 2.88