Final answer:
HCNO ionizes in water to form H₃O⁺ and CNO⁻, and its ionization is represented by the equilibrium reaction HCNO(aq) + H₂O(l) ↔ H₃O⁺(aq) + CNO⁻(aq). The acid dissociation constant (Ka) is expressed as Ka = [H₃O⁺][CNO⁻] / [HCNO].
Step-by-step explanation:
HCNO is a weak acid. The ionization reaction for HCNO in water is represented as follows:
HCNO(aq) + H₂O(l) ↔ H₃O⁺(aq) + CNO⁻(aq)
The equilibrium constant expression for this ionization reaction, also known as the acid dissociation constant (Ka), is written as:
Ka = \([H₃O⁺]\) \([CNO⁻]\) / \([HCNO]\)
In this expression, \([H₃O⁺]\) represents the concentration of hydronium ions, \([CNO⁻]\) the concentration of the cyanate ions, and \([HCNO]\) the concentration of the undissociated acid in the solution at equilibrium. These concentrations are usually expressed in moles per liter (M).