Department of Chemistry

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

PRIVATE BAG
RONDEBOSCH 7701 SOUTH AFRICA

CEM1000W - TUTORIAL (Acids and Bases): 2023

Question 1
Explain what we mean by the term amphiprotic. Use chemical equations to show how the
following substances react with water to show their amphiprotic properties.
Amphiprotic means that the molecule has the ability to accept or donate protons.
Contrast this with the meaning of amphoteric, which means the ability of a substance to
act as an acid or a base.

a. HS-

HS- + H2O S2- + H3O+ HS- as an acid

H2O + HS- H2S + OH- HS- as a base

b. H2PO4-

H2PO4- + H2O HPO42- + H3O+ H2PO4- as an acid

H2O + H2PO4- H3PO4 + OH- H2PO4- as a base

Question 2
For the reaction

H2CO3 (aq) + CN- (aq) HCN (aq) + HCO3- (aq)

Label each species as an acid or a base. For the base on the left hand side, what is the
conjugate acid?

H2CO3 (aq) + CN- (aq) HCN (aq) + HCO3- (aq)

Acid base acid base

Question 3
What are the numerical values of the following?

a) the ion product of water. - Ion product of water is 1.00 x 10-14 at 25°C.

b) the % ionisation of HCl - HCl is a strong acid, the percent ionisation will be 100.
Question 4

Calculate the pH of the following solutions:

a) 0.05 M HCl
HCl is a strong acid so is fully (100%) dissociated.
0.050 M HCl → 0.050 M [H+]
pH = – log[0.050] = 1.30
b) 0.04 M Ba(OH)2
Ba(OH)2 is a strong base and dissociates to produces 2 equivalents of hydroxide
ions.
Ba(OH)2 is 0.040 M so [OH-] = 0.080 M
pOH = – log [0.080] =1.10
pH = 14 – 1.10 = 12.90
c) 5.0 M NH3 (aq) (Kb = 1.8 x 10-5)
Ammonia is a weak base so need to calculate via first principles

NH3 NH4+ OH-

initial 5.0 0 0

change -x +x +x

equilibrium 5.0-x x x

pH = 14 – 2.02 = 11.98
Question 5

A 0.10 mol dm-3 solution of acetic acid (CH3COOH) is 1.3 % ionised.

a) What is the pH of the solution?

CH3COOH + H2O H3O+ + CH3COO-

Substance CH3COOH H3O+ + CH3COO-

Initial conc 0.10 0 0

Change conc -x +x +x
x = 1.3 x 0.10 = 0.0013
100
1.3% of CH3COOH has
dissociated

At equilibrium 0.10 – x = 0.0987 0.0013 0.013

[H3O+] = 0.0013 mol dm-3, thus pH = -log [H3O+] = 2.89

b) Calculate the Ka for acetic acid.

Question 6

Using data provided, calculate the [H3O+ ], [OH-], pH and pOH of each of the following aqueous
solutions at 25°C..

a) 0.057 mol dm-3 NH3 Kb = 1.8 x 10-5

NH3 + H2O NH4+ + OH-

Substance NH3 NH4+ + OH-

Initial [ ] 0.057 0 0

Change in [ ] -x +x +x

Eqm. [ ] 0.057 - x x x

If [NH3]init / Kb > 400 then the assumption that 0.057 – x ≈ 0.057 is valid.

Since 0.057 / Kb = 3166 (> 400) we know x << 0.057, [NH3] at equilibrium ≈ 0.057 M .
 [OH-] = 1.01 x 10-3 mol dm-3

pH = -log[H3O+] pOH = -log[OH-]

= -log 9.9 x 10-12 = -log 1.01 x 10-3

= 11.00 = 3.00

b) 0.050 mol dm-3 butanoic acid, C3H7COOH pKa = 4.81

C3H7COOH + H2O C3H7COO- + H3O+

Since pKa = -log Ka = 4.81 thus Ka = 1.55 x 10-5 mol dm-3

Substance C3H7COOH H3O+ + C3H7COO-

Initial [ ] 0.050 0 0

Change in [ ] -x +x +x

Eqm. [ ] 0.050 - x x x

Since 0.050 / Ka = 3226 (> 400) we know x << 0.050 and 0.050 – x ≈ 0.050.
Thus [C3H7COOH] at equilibrium ≈ 0.050 M.

x = [H3O+] = 8.8 x 10-4 mol dm-3

pH = -log[H3O+] pOH = -log[OH-]

= -log 8.8 x 10-4 = -log 1.13 x 10-11

= 3.06 = 10.96
Question 7

An aqueous solution of methanoic acid containing 2.25 g of acid per 250 cm3 of solution is
3.31 % ionised. Calculate the Ka and pH of the acid.

Methanoic acid is a weak acid

We know that methanoic acid is 3.31 % ionised so we can determine this

concentration and use it in the ICE table.

3.31 % of 0.196 = 6.49 x 10-3 = amount used = x

B+ BH H3O+

initial 0.196 0 0

change -6.49 x 10- +6.49 x 10- +6.49 x 10-

3 3 3

equilibrium 0.190 6.49 x 10-3 6.49 x 10-3

At equilibrium [H3O+] = 6.49 x 10-3 therefore pH = - log(6.49 x 10-3) = 2.19

Question 8

Consider the solutions below and use appropriate chemical equations AND A SHORT
EXPLANATION, predict whether the solution will be neutral, acidic or basic

a) 1.0 M ammonium chloride in water

An aqueous solution of ammonium chloride contains ammonium ions and
chloride ions.

NH4+Cl -(aq) → NH4+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

The ammonium ion is the strong conjugate acid of the weak base ammonia and
will react with water to give the hydronium ion which is acidic so pH of solution
will be less than 7.

NH4+ + H2O  NH3 + H3O+

The chloride ion is the weak conjugate base of the strong acid, HCl. Weak
conjugate acids or bases do not react with water i.e. hydrolyse.
b) 1.0 M sodium carbonate in water
Sodium carbonate is a salt

Dissociate the salt into its ions:

Na2CO3 (aq) → 2 Na+ (aq) + CO32- (aq)

Na+ is the weak conjugate acid of the strong base NaOH and will not hydrolyse.

CO32- is the strong conjugate base of a weak acid HCO3- and thus reacts with
water as follows:

CO3- + H2O  HCO3- + OH-

so we can predict that the solution will be basic due to the excess hydroxide ions
in solution.

Question 9

Note whether the following salt solution will be acidic, basic or neutral.

a) Na2S - salt of a strong base NaOH and anion of weak acid HS- so it would be
basic
b) Cu(NO3)2 - salt of a weak base (Cu(OH)2) and a strong acid HNO3, so it would be
acidic. Cu2+ is not Group I or II so would form metal hydrate ion that hydrolyses
c) KClO4 - salt of strong base KOH and strong acid HClO4 so no reaction and it
would be neutral
d) CH3NH3Cl - salt of weak base (CH3NH2) and strong acid HCl so it will be acidic