In: Chemistry
In the laboratory, a general chemistry student measured the pH
of a 0.550 M aqueous solution of formic
acid, HCOOH to be
1.987.
Use the information she obtained to determine the Ka for
this acid.
Ka(experiment) =
we have to use ICE table to calculate this
HCOOH + H2O <-------> HCOO- + H3O+
dissociation constant Ka expression for this equation
Ka = [HCOO-] [H3O+] / [HCOOH]
ICE [ HCOOH ] [ HCOO- ] [ H3O+ ]
initial concentration 0.55 0 0
Change in concentration x -x -x
equilibrium concentration 0.55 - x x x
x = [H3O+]
pH = -log[H3O+]
pH he has given 1.987
1.987 = -log[H3O+]
[H3O+] = 10-1.987
x = 0.0103 M
at equilibrium [H3O+] = [HCOO-]
so [HCOO-] = 0.0103
at equilibrium concentration of [HCOOH] = 0.55 - x
= 0.55 - 0.0103
= 0.5397 M
now put all these values in above expression
Ka = [0.0103] [0.0103] / 0.5937
= 0.0001 / 0.5397
Ka = 1.96 x 10-4