184k views
2 votes
A weak acid with ka = 6.3×10-5 is?

1) 2.5
2) cannot be determined
3) 4.5
4) 8.5

1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

The pH of a weak acid with a given Ka value cannot be determined accurately without additional information such as the concentration of the acid in the solution. It requires solving an equilibrium expression to find [H+]. So, the correct option is B.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question is asking for the pH value corresponding to a weak acid with a given acid dissociation constant (Ka = 6.3×10-5). The pH of a solution can be determined from the Ka value using the formula pH = -log[H+], where [H+] is the concentration of hydronium ions in the solution. In the case of a weak acid, a notable percentage of the acid remains undissociated, and calculating the exact [H+] directly from Ka requires solving an equilibrium expression involving the concentrations of the acid, its conjugate base, and [H+]. However, subtracting the pKa (the negative logarithm of the Ka value) from the pKa scale, which typically ranges from 0 (strong acid) to 14 (strong base), gives an approximation of the pH of a solution where the acid has fully dissociated, which is generally not the case. In this instance, the pKa would be -log(6.3×10-5) which is approximately 4.2. Therefore, the pH value corresponding to this acid would be greater than 4.2 but less than 7, since it is a weak acid. The provided options do not include a possible pH value given the Ka, and therefore the pH cannot be determined accurately without additional information such as the concentration of the acid in the solution.

User Magnetik
by
8.1k points