Experiment 4-Ionic

Equilibria
Crystle T. Cotingting
Reinavelle Jeunesse D. Mateo
Objectives
• Distinguish acidic from basic compounds
• Distinguish a strong acid/base from a
weak acid/base
• Determine experimentally the ionization
constant of a weak electrolyte
• Determine experimentally the solubility
product constant of a slightly soluble
substance
Review: Acids and Bases
• Arrhenius
– Acids: substances that contain hydrogen and
dissociate in water to yield hydronium ions
– Bases: substances that contain hydroxyl groups
and dissociate in water to yield hydroxide ions
• Bronsted-Lowry
- expanded the definition of a base
- Base: specie with an electron pair available to
accept a transferred proton.
Review: Acids and Bases
• Lewis
- Acids: electron pair acceptors
- Bases: electron pair donators
Review: Strength of Acids & Bases
• Acids & Bases –
electrolytes
• Strong acids & bases –
almost completely
dissociate or ionize in water
• Weak acids & bases –
dissociate only slightly
Ionic Equilibrium
• observed when ionization takes place in a
solvent medium.

Ionization or Dissociation Constant

• equilibrium constant, K, for the ionization
of a weak acid or base.
• tells us how far to the right the reaction
will proceed to reach the equilibrium
Ionization Constant

• In an acid, HA(aq)+ H2O(l)  A-

(aq)+ H3O+
(aq)

it has the general form

Kacid = [H3O+] [A-]
[HA]
 Solubility Product Constant
• Ionic solid + pure water 
dissolution at a relatively rapid
initial rate
• As the concentration of
dissolved ions increases, so
does the rate of formation.
• Soon, rateformation = ratedissolution
(state of equilibrium and
saturation of solution)
Solubility Product Constant
• At equilibrium, no net dissolution of the
solid. If more of the solid is added to the
mixture of solid and solution at
equilibrium, none will dissolve.
• If solid is removed, the concentration of
ions in solution will stay the same.
Solubility Product Constant
• Presence of solid - no effect on the
equilibrium concentrations of ions in the
saturated solution
• Therefore, the equilibrium constant
expression for equation does not include a
term referring to the solid.
• Solubility product constant is defined as
such:
• Ksp = [Am+ ]n[Bn- ]m
Solubility Product Constant
• A measure of how far to the right the
dissolution proceeds at equilibrium
• Important in explaining phenomena like
solubility and precipitation of compounds
Experimental
Methodology
 Part 1. Strong and
Weak Electrolytes

• Put pH paper to solutions

A-G
• Determine pH of each
solution
• Classify if strong or weak
acid or base or neutral
Part 2. Ionization
Constant of Acetic Acid
1.1
ml 1M 1 drop
acetic methy
acid l
violet

Match color

1.0 ml 1 drop 0.01M

distille methyl HCl
d violet from
water syring
e
Part 3. Solubility Product
Constant of Benzoic Acid,
C6H5COOH
50 ml Pinch of
distille benzoic
d acid
water crystals

40°C
0.01M
NaOH
titration to 2 drops
light pink phenolp
end point h-
thalein
Results and Discussion
Part 1. Strong and Weak
Electrolytes (Result)

Observed pH for Various

Solutions
Solution Observed pH
A 1
B 4
C 13
D 7
E 8
F 6
G 6
Part 1. Strong and Weak Electrolytes
(Discussion)

Classification System Devised for

Strong or Weak Acid and Strong or
Weak BasepH Classification
0-2.5 Strong acid
2.5-6 Weak acid
7 Neutral
8-11 Weak base
12-14 Strong acid
Part 1. Strong and Weak
Electrolytes (Discussion)

Final Classification of Solutions

Solution Observed pH Classification
A 1 Strong acid
B 4 Weak acid
C 13 Strong base
D 7 Neutral
E 8 Weak base; basic salt
F 6 Weak acid; acidic salt
G 6 Weak acid; acidic salt
Part 1. Strong and Weak Electrolytes
(Discussion)
Solution Observed pH Classification
A 1 Strong acid  Ionization complete
B 4 Weak acid  Slight ionization
C 13 Strong base  Ionization complete
D 7 Neutral
E 8 Weak base; basic salt  Slight ionization
F 6 Weak acid; acidic salt  Slight ionization
G 6 Weak acid; acidic salt  Slight ionization

• Ka of solution A > Ka of solutions B, F, and G.

Part 2. Ionization Constant of
Acetic Acid (Result)
• Volume of HCl added (to match light purple
color of acetic acid) - 0.6mL of HCl
Acetic Acid
Part 2. Ionization Constant of
Weak Acid (Discussion)
Methyl violet
• a pH indicator to test pH ranging from 0 to 1.6.
- acid end (pH below 0.0): yellow
- alkaline end (above pH 1.6): bluish violet
Part 2. Ionization Constant of
Weak Acid (Discussion)

• Addition of Methyl Violet

– 1.1mL 1M acetic acid: light purple color
solution has a pH about or above 1.6
acetic acid – weak acid
– About 0.6mL of 0.01M HCl was added to 1.0mL of
distilled water until the solution turned the same
color as acetic acid

2 solutions with same pH indicator are the

same color  about the same pH
Part 2. Ionization Constant of
Weak Acid (Discussion)
pH of acetic acid = pH of HCl solution

Since pH = -log [H3O+],

[H3O+] in HCl solution = [H3O+] in the acetic acid

(HOAc) solution

[H3O+] in HCl solution = molarity of the HCl because HCl is a

known strong acid and strong acids dissociate almost
completely into their respective ions
 Part 2. Ionization Constant of
Weak Acid (Discussion)
Calculation for Molarity of HCl
Note: Can’t immediately assume to be 0.01M because it has
been diluted by the 1.0 mL distilled water
• C1V1 = C2V2
– C1 = 0.01 M  original concentration of HCl
– V1 = 0.6 mL  volume of HCl added
– V2 = 1.6 mL  1.0mL H2O + 0.6mL HCl
• (0.01M)(0.6mL) = (C2)(1.6mL)
• C2 = (0.01M)(0.6mL)
(1.6mL)
• C2 = 0.00375 M  diluted concentration of HCl
Part 2. Ionization Constant of
Weak Acid (Discussion)

• C2 = 0.00375 M
• C2 = [HCl] = 0.00375 M
• [HCl] = [H3O+] in HCl solution = 0.00375 M
– Because it is a strong acid
• [H3O+] in HCl solution = [H3O+] in the acetic acid
(HOAc) solution
– Because same color with same pH indicator
• Therefore, [H3O+] in the acetic acid solution = 0.00375M
Part 2. Ionization Constant of
Acetic Acid (Discussion)

Chemical equation for the ionization of acetic

acid (HOAc)

HOAc(aq) + H2O(l)  OAc-(aq) + H3O+(aq)

Part 2. Ionization Constant of
Acetic Acid (Discussion)

Calculation of [OAc-] and [HOAc].

HOAc(aq) + H2O(l)  OAc-(aq) + H3O+(aq)
Initial 1M - 0 0
Change -x - +x +x
Equilibrium 1M-x - x x

At equilibrium, x = [H3O+]
[H3O+] = 0.00375 M.
Since x = [OAc-] = [H3O+]
[OAc-] = 0.00375 M.
At equilibrium,
[HOAc] = 1M – x
= 1M – 0.00375M
= 0.99625 M
Part 2. Ionization Constant of
Acetic Acid (Discussion)

Summary of Values
Volume of HCl used 0.6 mL
[H3O+] in HCl solution 0.00375 M
H3O+] in HOAc solution 0.00375 M
Equilibrium Concentration of HOAc 0.99625 M
solution

From here, we can solve for Ka.

Ka = [OAc-] [H3O+]
[HOAc]
= (0.00375 M) (0.00375M)
(0.99625 M)
= 1.4115 x 10-5
The theoretical Ka for acetic acid at 25ºC is 1.77x10-5
Part 2. Ionization Constant of Acetic
Acid (Conclusion)
• Calculated Ka value of acetic acid is
1.41x10-5
- dissociates only slightly  weak
acid
Part 3. Solubility Product
Constant of Benzoic Acid
(Results)
• 19.7 mL of the titrant, 0.01M
NaOH was needed to reach
the light pink end point of
titration
Part 3. Solubility Product Constant of
Benzoic Acid (Discussion)

• Calculate concentration of H3O+ using the following

equation Macid Vacid =Mbase Vbase .
Macid Vacid =Mbase Vbase
Mbase = 0.01M
Vbase = 19.7mL
Vacid = 10mL

(Macid )(10mL) = (0.01M)(19.7mL)

Macid = 0.0197M
Part 3. Solubility Product Constant of
Benzoic Acid (Discussion)
• At end point, solution being titrated is neutralized by
the titrant.
• Therefore,
[OH-] of titrant = [H3O+ ] of acid being titrated
• In this experiment,
[OH-] NaOH = [H3O+] benzoic acid = 0.0197 M
Part 3. Solubility Product Constant of
Benzoic Acid (Discussion)
• Get value of [C6H5COO ] using the initial-change-equilibrium table.
-

[C6H5COO-] = x
[H3O+] =x
[C6H5COO-] = [H3O+]
= 0.0197 M too
Part 3. Solubility Product Constant of
Benzoic Acid (Discussion)
• Calculating the solubility product constant
Ka = [C6H5COO- ][ H3O+]
[C6H5COOH]
Ka[C6H5COOH] = [C6H5COO-] [H3O+]
Ksp = [C6H5COO-][H3O+]
= (0.0197M) (0.0197M)
= 0.00038809
~ 3.9 x 10-4
Part 3. Solubility Product Constant of
Benzoic Acid (Discussion)
Calculating the solubility of benzoic acid

Ksp = [C6H5COO-] [H3O+] *S – solubility

0.00038809 = S x S
0.00038809 = S2
S = 0.0197 M
Theoretical value (25°C): 0.02785 M
Part 3. Solubility Product Constant of
Benzoic Acid (Conclusion)

• Ksp value for benzoic acid is 0.003889.

Similarly, since Ksp is a measure of how far
to the right the dissolution proceeds at
equilibrium, a compound with a higher Ksp
value is more soluble than this system.
Recommendations
Recommendations
• The group recommends the use of a pH meter
instead of pH paper to determine the pH of the
seven solutions. Or, if a pH meter is not available
we recommend the use of other indicators, so as to
more accurately estimate the pH. Comparing our
data with other groups, we noticed that the pH we
got were different from the pH they observed,
probably because comparing the colors in the pH
paper is very subjective to the user as well as the
lighting of the room.
Recommendations
• Also, in determining the ionization
constant of acetic acid, titrating with a
base would prove more effective than
matching colors, because comparing
colors again is quite subjective to the one
performing the experiment.
The End.