Final answer:
To calculate the pH of the solution containing 0.03 M benzoic acid and 0.02 M sodium benzoate, the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation is used with a pKa value of 3.19, resulting in a pH of approximately 3.0139.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the pH of a solution containing 0.03 M benzoic acid and 0.02 M sodium benzoate, we can use the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, which is given as:
pH = pKa + log([A-]/[HA])
Where [A-] represents the concentration of the conjugate base (sodium benzoate) and [HA] represents the concentration of the acid (benzoic acid). Given that the pKa of benzoic acid is 3.19, we can substitute the values into the equation:
pH = 3.19 + log(0.02/0.03)
Calculating the log(0.02/0.03) gives us a value of approximately -0.1761. When added to the pKa value of 3.19:
pH = 3.19 - 0.1761
Therefore, the pH of the solution is approximately 3.0139.