PH
Ionization of Water When compounds dissociate/ionize in an aqueous solution, they produce ions - hydronium (H 3 O + ) and hydroxide (OH - ) These ion concentrations can be expressed more easily as [H 3 O + ] = 1.0 x M and [OH - ] = 1.0 x M. The brackets indicate “concentration of” in Molarity (M).
Kw The product of [H 3 O + ] and [OH - ] is equal to 1.0 x M 2, which is a constant known as the ionization constant of water, K W. Because the [H 3 O + ] and [OH - ] in pure water are equal, pure water is neutral. Any substance whose [H 3 O + ] does not equal its [OH - ] is going to be acidic or basic.
Calculating Kw To calculate either the acid of base concentration, you must know how to rearrange the K W equation.
Example What is the [H 3 O + ] if [OH - ] = 4.56 x M? [H 3 O + ] = ? [OH - ] = 4.56 x M
pH Scale pH of Common Substances
pH Equations A more convenient way of expressing the acidity (or basicness) of a solution is pH and pOH. pH = -log[H 3 O + ] pOH = -log[OH - ] pH + pOH = 14 pH values from are acidic are basic 7.0 is neutral pOH values from are basic are acidic 7.0 is neutral.
pH Example What is the pH of M HNO 3 ? pH = -log[H 3 O + ] pH = -log[0.050] pH = 1.3 Acidic or basic? Acidic
pOH Example What is the pOH of M NH 3 ? Is it acidic or basic? pOH = -log[OH - ] pOH = -log[0.070] = 1.15 It is basic because 1.15 7.
Example pH (pOH) calculations If you had a solution with the concentration of M [H 3 O + ], what is the solutions pH? What is the solutions pOH? Given: [H 3 O + ] = M Unknown: pH = ? pH = -log [H 3 O + ] = -log[0.025M] = 1.6 pOH = 14 – pH = = 12.4
Example pH (pOH) calculations What is the pH of a 1.5 M solutions of KOH? (this is a base) Given: [1.5 M] Unknown: pH = ? pOH = - log [OH - ] pOH = - log [1.5] pOH = pH + pOH = – pOH = pH 14- (-0.18) = pH = Check : Answer does indicate that KOH forms a sol’n pH 7, which is basic.
Converting pH & pOH to Concentrations If you want to know the [H 3 O + ] or [OH - ] from a given pH or pOH value, use the following equations: Example: What is the [OH - ] if the pH = ? pH = pOH = ? [OH - ] = ? [H 3 O + ] = 10 -pH