Rank the solutions in order of decreasing [H 3 O + ]: 0.10 M HCl; 0.10 M HF; 0.10 M HClO; 0.10 M HC 6 H 5 O.

Hey everyone, we're asked to arrange the following assets from highest to lowest concentration of hydrogen ions in solution first. Let's go ahead and determine the P. K. S of each acid. Starting off with our oxalic acid. Oxalic acid has a P. K. A. Of 1.27 for its first ionization. Next our nitrous acid has a P. K. A. Of 3.16. Our perc Lorik acid has a P. K. A. Of negative 15.2. And this makes sense because we know per cleric acid to be one of our stronger assets And our formic acid has a P. K. A. of 3.75. And since we have the same polarity for each solution, we can go ahead and disregard this when ranking our acids. To answer this question, we need to know the relationship between our P. K. S and our concentration of hydro ni um ions. So as our P. K. A increases our concentration of hydro knee um ions will decrease. And that's because the higher the P. K. A. The weaker the acid. So when we rank these our most acidic is going to be our 0. moller per Clark acid. Since it has a P. K. A. Of negative 15.2, followed by our 0.25 Molar oxalic acid. Next it will be our 0.25 molar of our nitrous acid. And lastly it will be our 0.25 molar formic acid. So I hope this made sense. And let us know if you have any questions

Ch.17 - Acids and Bases

Tro - Chemistry: A Molecular Approach 6th Edition

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Tro 6th Edition

Ch.17 - Acids and Bases

Problem 43

Chapter 17, Problem 43

Rank the solutions in order of decreasing [H₃O⁺]: 0.10 M HCl; 0.10 M HF; 0.10 M HClO; 0.10 M HC₆H₅O.

Verified step by step guidance

Identify that HCl is a strong acid, which means it completely dissociates in water, producing a high concentration of \([H_3O^+]\).

Recognize that HF, HClO, and HC6H5O are weak acids, which do not completely dissociate in water, resulting in lower \([H_3O^+]\) compared to strong acids.

Understand that the strength of weak acids can be compared using their acid dissociation constants \(K_a\). The larger the \(K_a\), the stronger the acid, and the higher the \([H_3O^+]\).

Research or recall the \(K_a\) values for HF, HClO, and HC6H5O to determine their relative strengths.

Rank the solutions based on the \([H_3O^+]\) concentration, starting with the highest for the strong acid and then in order of decreasing \(K_a\) for the weak acids.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Strong vs. Weak Acids

Strong acids, like HCl, completely dissociate in water, producing a high concentration of hydronium ions (H3O+). In contrast, weak acids, such as HF and HClO, only partially dissociate, resulting in a lower concentration of H3O+. Understanding this distinction is crucial for ranking the solutions based on their acidity.

Concentration of Solutions

The concentration of an acid solution, expressed in molarity (M), indicates the amount of acid present in a given volume of solution. In this question, all solutions have the same concentration of 0.10 M, but their ability to produce H3O+ varies based on their strength as acids, affecting the final ranking.

Acid Dissociation Constant (Ka)

The acid dissociation constant (Ka) quantifies the strength of a weak acid in solution. A higher Ka value indicates a stronger acid that dissociates more in water, leading to a greater concentration of H3O+. For the weak acids in the question, knowing their Ka values helps determine their relative acidity and thus their ranking based on H3O+ concentration.