Question

Phosphoric acid is a triprotic acid. Write the ionization equation(s) and circle any species that are amphoteric.

Answer 1

`\mathbf{H_2PO^(-)_4}` and
`\mathbf{HPO^(2-)_4}` are the amphoteric species.

Step-by-step explanation:

Phosphorus is a non-metallic element belonging to Group 5 of the Periodic table. As a triprotic acid (i.e an acid that has three dissociable protons that undergo stepwise ionization) . Phosphorus reacts vigorously with hot water to form tetraoxosulphate(V) acid.

i.e

`P_4O_(10(s)) + 6 H_2O_(l) \to4H_3PO_(4(aq))`

SO;

As a triprotic acid;

The ionization equations are as follows:

NOTE: Instead of the amphoteric species to be circle as instructed , due to the fact that we are using the LaTex Editor ; we will just need to let them be in bold format which will differentiate them from the rest.

`H_3PO_(4) \leftrightarrow H^+ + H_2PO^(-)_4`

`\mathbf{H_2PO^(-)_4} \leftrightarrow H^+ + HPO^(2-)_4`

`\mathbf{HPO^(2-)_4} \leftrightarrow H^+ + PO^(3-)_4`

Thus;
`\mathbf{H_2PO^(-)_4}` and
`\mathbf{HPO^(2-)_4}` are the amphoteric species.