Final answer:
The student's question involves balancing a chemical equation for the neutralization reaction between acetic acid and calcium hydroxide, understanding the incomplete ionization of acetic acid, and the subsequent calculation of pH during a titration involving a weak acid.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the neutralization reaction between acetic acid (CH3CO2H) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), which results in the formation of water and a salt, specifically calcium acetate (Ca(C2H3O2)2). The balanced chemical equation for this reaction should demonstrate the conservation of mass, whereby the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation. The unbalanced reaction is given by CH3CO2H(aq) + Ca(OH)2(aq) → Ca(C2H3O2)2(aq) + H2O(l). To balance this equation, one acetic acid molecule reacts with one calcium hydroxide molecule to produce one calcium acetate molecule and two water molecules, resulting in the balanced equation: 2CH3CO2H(aq) + Ca(OH)2(aq) → Ca(C2H3O2)2(aq) + 2H2O(l).
During a titration involving a weak acid such as acetic acid, the pH at equilibrium needs to be calculated after considering the ionization of the acetic acid and its reaction with the base added. The reaction is not complete due to the acetic acid being a weak acid; it partially ionizes in solution. After the neutralization reaction, we must also consider the reaction of the weak base formed (the acetate ion) with water to determine the equilibrium concentration of hydrogen ions ([H+]) and consequently the final pH of the solution.