Question

Classify each of the following as a Strong acid (sa) or a Weak acid (wa) and indicate how each should be written in aqueous solution.

1. hydrobromic acid
2. hydrochloric acid
3. carbonic acid
Write a net ionic equation for the reaction that occurs when aqueous solutions of hydrochloric acid and barium hydroxide are combined.

Answer 1

A. 1. Strong acid (sa): Hydrobromic acid: HBr (aq)

2. Strong acid (sa); Hydrochloric acid: HCl (aq)

3. Weak acid (wa); Carbonic acid: H₂CO₃ (aq)

B. H+ (aq) + OH- (aq) ----> H₂O (l)

Step-by-step explanation:

Strong acids are which ionize completely in aqueous solution into hydrogen ions and the corresponding anion. Examples of strong acids include hydrobromic acid, hydrochloric acid, tetraoxosulfate (vi) acid.

The ionization of hdyrobromic and hydrochloric acids in aqueous solution is given below:

1. Hydrobromic acid: HBr (aq) ----> H+ (aq) + Br- (aq)

Hydrobromic acid in aqueous solution ionizes completely into hydrogen ions and bromide ions

2. Hydrochloric acid: HCl (aq) ----> H+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)

Hydrochloric acid in aqueous solution ionizes completely into hydrogen ions and chloride ions

Weak acids are acids which ionizes only partially in aqueous solutions to hydrogen ions and the corresponding anions. Examples of weak acids are carbonic acid and ethanoic acid. The ionization of carbonic acid in aqueous solution is shown below:

3. Carbonic acid: H₂CO₃ (aq) ⇄ 2 H+ (aq) + CO₃²- (aq)

Carbonic acid ionizes partially only to give hydrogen ions and trioxocarbonate (iv) ions. The unionized acid exists in equilibrium with the ions produced by the partial ionization of the acid.

Part B:

The reaction between hydrochloric acid and barium hydroxide is a neutralization reaction producing barium chloride salt and water.

The net ionic equation of the neutralization reaction is given below :

H+ (aq) + OH- (aq) ----> H₂O (l)