ACID-BASE EQUILIBRIA

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 WHAT IS AN ACID AND A BASE?
Arrhenius Definition:
ACID: Substance that dissociates in water to form
hydrogen ions (H+).
BASE: Substance that dissociates in water to form
hydroxide (OH-) ions.

ACID BASE
 BRNSTED-LOWRY DEFINITION:

ACID: Any species that is capable of donating a proton H +

BASE: Any species that is capable of accepting a proton H +
DEFINING THE TERM PH
A numeric scale used to specify the acidity or
basicity (alkalinity) of an aqueous solution.
pH is the negative logarithm to the base 10 of
the hydrogen ion concentration in moldm-3.
pH has a unit of molesperliter, of
hydrogenions.
CALCULATING PH

pH = -log10[H+]
Example 1:
What is the pH if [H+] = 5.6x10-4 mol dm-3?
A: pH = -log10[H+]
pH = -log10[5.6x10-4]
pH = 3.25 molesperliter, of
hydrogenions.
 pH =
-log [H+]
10

Question 1:
What is the pH if [H+] = 2.4x10-4 moldm-3 ?

Question 2:
What is the pH of HCl with a concentration of 0.01
moldm-3 ?
 DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BRNSTED
LOWRY THEORY OF ACID-BASE BEHAVIOUR, AND USE IT TO
IDENTIFY CONJUGATE ACID-BASE PAIRS

Conjugate Acid: Donates a Proton (H+).

Conjugate Base: Accepts a Proton (H+).
Acid Conjugate Base
Base Conjugate Acid
 IDENTIFY CONJUGATE ACID-BASE PAIRS
1) CH3COOH + H2O H3O+ + CH3COO-
2) H2O + NH3 NH4+ +OH-
3) H2O + CO32- HCO3- + OH-
 DESCRIBE THE TERM STRONG ACID AND CARRY OUT
CALCULATIONS RELATING THE PH OF STRONG
ACIDS TO THEIR CONCENTRATIONS IN MOL/DM3 .
What is a strong acid? => A strong acid is one which is fully ionized in aqueous solution.

Monoprotic acids= produce one hydrogen ion

per molecule of acid.
EXAMPLE; HCLO4(aq) H+(aq) +
HYDROHALIC CLO4-(aq)
ACID.

Diprotic acid= produce two hydrogen ions

OXOACIDS. per molecule of acid.
EXAMPLE; H2SO4(aq) 2H+(aq) +
SO42-(aq)
 CALCULATING THE PH OF A STRONG
ACID.
1. Use the concentration of the acid given in the question to find
the concentration of H+ ions => [H+].
2. Then convert the concentration of H+ ions [H+] into pH.

Monoprotic acid; Diprotic acid;

Q: Calculate the pH Use this Q: Calculate the pH
of HCL acid of formula; of H2SO4 acid of
concentration 0.123 pH = concentration
mol/dm33 . -log[H+]. 0.00200 mol/dm33 .
 CALCULATING THE CONCENTRATION OF A
STRONG ACID FROM ITS PH.
1. Convert the value of pH given in the question into [H +].
2. Use [H+] to get the concentration of the acid.

Unlogging the
pH using;
10-pH
Monoprotic acid; Diprotic acid;
Q: Calculate the Q: Calculate the
concentration of HBr concentration of
with pH of 2.0. H2SO4 with pH of
1.5.
STRONG BASE
Strong base is one which is fully
ionised in solution.

Strong bases will usually have typical pH of

13 or 14.
 CALCULATING THE PH OF STRONG BASE

YOU USE THE VALUE

3 STEP CALCULATION OF Kw = 1.00x10-14mol2dm-6
Use the concentration of the base to find [OH-]
Use Kw to find [H+]
convert [H+] into pH
Example:
What is the pH of 0.10 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide solution, NaOH?

1 mole of NaOH produces 1 mole of OH- in solution, so concentration will remain

0.10 mol dm-3.

Kw=[H+][OH-]
Another way of doing
this calculation.

Show 2 mole of OH-

calculation-
Ca(OH)2
 WEAK ACIDS.
What is a weak acid? => An acid which does not ionize completely in aqueous solution.

Weak acids are mostly organic acids i.e. ethanoic and methanoic acid and some
inorganic like HF (hydrohalic acid).
So why are they known as weak acids? compare the electronegativity and bond
strength.

HF(aq) H+ (aq) + F- (aq).

Ka=
Acidity constant
or dissociation
constant and this
[H+][F-]
[HF] pKa= -log Ka 10

specific name is
given because of
the acidic
solution.
CALCULATING THE PH OF A WEAK ACID ON DATA FOR
CONC. AND KA AND DISCUSS THE ASSUMPTIONS
MADE IN THIS CALCULATION.

It is not easy to determine the concentration of hydrogen ions from the chemical equation.
So you have to follow the steps listed below to workout the concentration to get the pH:
1. Make an IE concentration table to find the concentration of the acid.
2. Convert concentration to pH.

Q; Calculate the pH of a 0.123 mol/dm33 solution of

ethanoic acid.
Ka=1.75x10-5-5 mol/DM3
3

CH3COOH CH3COO- +
H+
 INTRODUCTION TO TITRATION
Used to find the concentration of a substance and pH of a
substance.
The unknown solution is titrated against a standard solution.
An indicator is used to determine the end point.
 TITRATION CURVES
Plotting data attained during a titration,
titrant volume on the x-axis and pH on
the y-axis.
End point = mid way between 2 colours of indicator (a
property of the indicator).
Equivalence point = when the stoichiometric amounts of
acid and alkali have been added.
Equivalence point is NOT ALWAYS 7.
 TO DRAW A TITRATION CURVE

In order to sketch a titration curve, the following have to be estimated.

The pH at the start
The pH at the equivalence point
The volume of liquid from the burette required to reach the equivalence point
The pH range of the near vertical part of the graph.
The pH after excess reagent has been added from the burette (final pH)
MEASURE THE PH CHANGE DURING TITRATIONS AND DRAW TITRATION CURVES USING
DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF STRONG AND WEAK MONOBASIC ACIDS AND BASES
WORKED EXAMPLE
MARK SCHEME ANSWER
CHARACTERISTICS OF TITRATION CURVES.
 USE DATA ABOUT INDICATORS, TOGETHER WITH TITRATION CURVES, TO
SELECT A SUITABLE INDICATOR AND THE USE OF TITRATIONS IN ANALYSIS

Use an indicator whose end point pH range

lies in the steep region of the titration curve.
This will ensure that the equivalent point will
lie within the pH range of indicator.
STRONG ACID/ STRONG BASE
WEAK ACID/ STRONG BASE
WEAK BASE/ STRONG ACID
 Using a weak acid, like ethanoic acid, methyl orange is
unsuitable because it changes steadily, and change is
complete before the endpoint.
 Using a weak base, like ammonia, phenolphthalein is
unsuitable because it doesnt start to change until after the
endpoint.
 BUFFER SOLUTIONS
Is a solution which resists changes in pH if small
Definition amounts of acid or alkali are added to it.

Acidic buffer solution (pH<7) : made by 1 weak acid

and one of its salt.
Alkaline buffer solution (pH>7) : made by 1 weak
base and one of its salt.
ACIDIC BUFFER SOLUTION
USE TITRATION CURVES TO SHOW THE BUFFER ACTION AND TO DETERMINE
KA FROM THE PH AT THE POINT WHERE HALF THE ACID IS NEUTRALISED.

1. In the reaction:
HA + OH- H2O + A-

2. At half-way to the end point

3. Taking logs -log Ka = -log [H3O+]

pKa = pH at half neutralization

 QUESTION
Q: In each case, state with a reason, which
indicator (s) would be most suitable in each
situation.
 WORKED EXAMPLE
Q. 25 cm3 of 1.00 mol dm3 aqueous HA, was titrated with 1.00 mol dm3 aqueous sodium
hydroxide and the pH measured throughout. The titration curve is shown below.

Use the titration curve to find:

(i) The value of the pH at the end point of the

titration.
(1 mark)
(ii) The pH of an aqueous solution of the salt NaA.
(1 mark)
(iii) The value of pKa for the acid HA and, hence the
value Ka.
(2 marks)

(b)A different monobasic weak acid has a

dissociation constant of 1.8 10 5 mol dm3.
(i) Calculate the pH of a 1.00 mol dm3 aqueous
solution of this acid.
(3 marks)
ANSWERS TO WORKED EXAMPLE
 EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF BUFFER
SOLUTIONS IN BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTS.
Our bodies consist of buffer systems and one of the most
important buffer solution in our body is carbonic acid (H2CO3) in
the blood stream.
CO2 + H2O => H2CO3 H+ + HCO-

BOTH BUFFERS. CONJUGATE BASE

By drinking orange juice you are adding
Buffer keeping the some acid into your blood stream so the
pH of your blood conjugate base acts as a buffer to keep
around 7.4 to allow the pH stable in the blood stream.
enzymes and
proteins to function
properly.

What would happen without buffers? uncontrollable pH=> alteration

in the DNA molecule=>strokes.
BUFFERS ARE EVERYWHERE AND WORK FOR THE SAME GOAL,
HOMEOSTATIS.