Final answer:
In chemistry, calculating the pH or pOH of solutions depends on whether the solute is a strong or weak acid or base, and involves using specific formulas such as the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation for buffers, or -log[H3O+] for strong acids. Calculating the pKb for a weak base requires using the formula pKb = -log(Kb).
Step-by-step explanation:
pH and pOH Calculations
To calculate the pH of various solutions, we need to apply different equations based on the solution's nature such as the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation for buffer solutions, the formula pH = -log[H3O+] for strong acids, and corresponding equations for strong bases, taking into account the complete ionization in water.
For example, the pH calculation for a strong acid like HCl would involve finding the hydrogen ion concentration directly from the molarity of the solution since HCl ionizes completely. Conversely, for a weak acid or base, we must use its dissociation constant to find the pH.
The last question regarding the dissociation constant asks for the calculation of the pKb value. The pKb can be found using the formula pKb = -log(Kb), so for ethanol amine with a Kb of 2.77×10−5, the calculation would be pKb = -log(2.77×10−5), which we would compute with a calculator.