Final answer:
Using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, the ratio of unprotonated to protonated uric acid in the given urine sample is approximately 0.4. This indicates that there is more protonated uric acid than unprotonated form in the urine sample at the given pH.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ratio of the unprotonated form (A-) to the protonated form (HA) in a solution can be calculated using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation: pH = pKa + log ([A-]/[HA]). In this case, the pKa value of uric acid given is 5.80 and the pH of the urine sample is 5.38.
You can rearrange the equation to solve for the ratio ([A-]/[HA]) = 10^(pH-pKa). By substituting the given values into this equation, the ratio of unprotonated to protonated uric acid in the urine sample is calculated to be 10^(5.38-5.80) ≈ 0.4 (approximately).
This means that in the given pH range, there is more protonated uric acid than unprotonated form in the urine sample.
Learn more about Acid-Base Equilibrium