Chapter 15: Problem 42
Calculate the \(p \mathrm{H}\) of \(6.9 \times 10^{-8} \mathrm{MHBr}\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
Answer: The pH of the HBr solution is approximately 7.16.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the strong acid and its dissociation in water.
In this case, hydrobromic acid (HBr) is a strong acid, which means it will dissociate completely in water as follows:
\(\mathrm{HBr} \rightarrow \mathrm{H^+} + \mathrm{Br^-}\)
Since we are given the concentration of HBr, we can easily determine the concentration of \(\mathrm{H^+}\) ions in the solution.
02
Recall the formula for pH calculation
The formula for pH is given as:
pH = \(- \log_{10}[\mathrm{H^+}]\)
Where \([\mathrm{H^+}]\) is the concentration of hydrogen ions in moles per liter (\(\mathrm{M}\))
03
Calculate the pH of the solution
We are given the concentration of HBr: \(6.9 \times 10^{-8} \mathrm{M}\)
Since HBr is a strong acid, it dissociates completely in water. Thus, the concentration of \(\mathrm{H^+}\) ions will be the same as the concentration of HBr.
Now, we can plug in the value of \([\mathrm{H^+}]\) in the pH formula:
pH = \(- \log_{10}(6.9 \times 10^{-8})\)
Using a calculator, we get:
pH = 7.16
04
Interpret the result
The pH of the \(6.9 \times 10^{-8} \mathrm{MHBr}\) solution is approximately 7.16. Since the pH value is greater than 7, the solution is slightly basic.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Acid Dissociation
When you dissolve hydrobromic acid (HBr) in water, it undergoes a process called dissociation. Dissociation is when molecules split into smaller particles, like ions. For HBr, this means breaking down into hydrogen ions (\(\mathrm{H^+}\)) and bromide ions (\(\mathrm{Br^-}\)). This happens completely because HBr is considered a strong acid which means it breaks down entirely in water.
- This complete dissociation results in the concentration of hydrogen ions being equal to the initial concentration of the acid in the solution.
- Knowing this is crucial for calculating the next steps, as it simplifies finding the hydrogen ion concentration directly from the given acid concentration.
Hydrogen Ion Concentration
Hydrogen ion concentration determines a solution's acidity. For strong acids like HBr, the concentration of hydrogen ions (\([\mathrm{H^+}]\)) is the same as the acid's initial concentration because they dissociate completely. In this exercise, the given concentration of HBr is \(6.9 \times 10^{-8} \mathrm{M}\).
Therefore, the concentration of \(\mathrm{H^+}\) ions in the solution is also \(6.9 \times 10^{-8} \mathrm{M}\).
Therefore, the concentration of \(\mathrm{H^+}\) ions in the solution is also \(6.9 \times 10^{-8} \mathrm{M}\).
- Knowing the concentration of hydrogen ions is vital for calculating the pH of a solution.
- It helps us understand the degree of acidity or basicity of the solution.
pH Formula
To determine how acidic or basic a solution is, you need to calculate the pH. The formula is simple:\[\text{pH} = -\log_{10}([\mathrm{H^+]})\]Where \([\mathrm{H^+}]\) is the concentration of hydrogen ions in moles per liter.
- This formula takes the log of the hydrogen ion concentration and multiplies it by -1 to convert the positive hydrogen ion concentration into the more intuitive pH scale, where lower numbers represent higher acidity.
- A pH of 7 is neutral, values <7 are acidic, and >7 are basic.