Final answer:
To calculate the percent ionization of a 0.125M nitrous acid solution with a pH of 2.09, find the concentration of H+ from the pH and compare it to the initial concentration, then multiply by 100%.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks to calculate the percent ionization of a 0.125M solution of nitrous acid with a given pH of 2.09. Percent ionization is a measure of the extent to which an acid ionizes in solution. To find the percent ionization, we can calculate the concentration of hydronium ions (H+) using the pH and then use that to find the ratio of the ionized acid concentration to the initial concentration.
Firstly, we convert pH to the concentration of H+:
pH = -log[H+]
2.09 = -log[H+]
[H+] = 10-2.09
To calculate percent ionization, we use the formula:
Percent Ionization = ([H+]/initial concentration of acid) × 100%
Percent Ionization = (10-2.09 / 0.125) × 100%
After doing the math, we find the percent ionization of the nitrous acid solution.