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The concentration of acetic acid (pKa = 4.75) in vinegar is about 1.0 M. With this information, what do you predict the pH of vinegar to be?

a) 1
b) 3
c) 5
d) 7

User Ister
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The pH of vinegar with a 1.0 M concentration of acetic acid and a pKa of 4.75 is predicted to be around 5, as it is close to the pKa value and considering the weak dissociation of acetic acid.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concentration of acetic acid in vinegar is about 1.0 M with a pKa of 4.75. Based on this, the pH of vinegar would be expected to be close to the pKa value because the pKa is where the acid is half dissociated, and the solution is in equilibrium. However, we also have to consider that acetic acid is a weak acid and doesn't fully dissociate in water, which means not all the acid will contribute to the hydronium ion concentration. The pH is likely to be slightly higher than the pKa value, but it won't be as high as 7 or as low as 1 or 3. Therefore, the most accurate prediction for the pH of this vinegar solution would be c) 5.

User PhazingAzrael
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