In: Chemistry
Concept questions: 1) Acetic acid is a weak acid. Why is a 2M solution of acetic acid less hazardous than a 2M solution of hydrochloric acid? 2) What species must be present in a buffer? Write a chemical reaction that explains how the buffer reacts with acid and then write a chemical reaction that shows how the buffer reacts with base. Wxplain how a buffer works.
Question 1
Acetic acid is a weak acid given that is a substance whose dissociation grade is low in other words is a substance forming a low quantity of ions when is dissolve in water. While hydrochloric acid is a strong acid since is a substance capable of dissociating completely when is dissolved in water.
Due to this property a 2M solution of hydrochloric acid is more hazardous compared to a solution of the same concentration of acetic acid. Hydrochloric acid is more corrosive given that generates a higher quantity of ions which can cause more damage.
Question 2
In a buffer solution two species must be present a weak base or a weak acid and its respective salt. For example a solution formed by CH3COOH and CH3COOK it's a buffer solution.
A buffer solution can regulate the changes in pH when an acid is added due to the presence of a conjugate base. For example if we have a solution constitued by CH3COOH (weak acid) and CH3COO- (conjugate base), the acetic acid will disociate as follows:
If a little quantity of a strong acid is added, this substance provides H+ ions to the solution which react with the conjugate base, in this case the CH3COOH- ions produced by the former reaction as showed bellow:
In the case a little quantity of a strong base is added, this substance provides OH- ions which react with the acid, and hence the pH remains almost constant given that all of this ions are neutralized by the acid as indicated bellow: