Final answer:
To find the acid dissociation constant (Ka) for the acid, calculate the concentration of hydrogen ions from the pH, then apply the dissociation reaction to find the equilibrium concentrations and solve for Ka.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the acid dissociation constant (Ka) for the acid, we can use the information provided about the solution's molarity and pH. First, we translate the pH to a concentration of hydrogen ions: [H+] = 10-pH = 10-2.95.
For a monoprotic acid HA dissolving in water, the dissociation is represented as:
HA(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ H+(aq) + A-(aq).
At equilibrium, the dissociation of the acid will have produced an equal amount of H+ and A-, so the concentration of A- will be the same as the concentration of hydrogen ions [A-] = [H+].
The initial concentration of the acid [HA]initial is given as 1.64M, so the concentration of undissoicated acid will be [HA] = [HA]initial - [H+].
The acid dissociation constant Ka can be represented as:
Ka = ×× [H+] [H+](A-)/[HA]
Substituting the known quantities and solving for Ka:
Ka = [H+]^2 / ([HA]initial - [H+])
Calculating Ka, we take [H+] = 10-2.95 and [HA]initial = 1.64 M.
From this, you can derive the value of Ka that characterizes the acid's strength.