High School Chemistry : Acids and Bases

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Chemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #2 : Identifying Acids And Bases

Which of the following salts will result in an acidic solution?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle K_{2}CO_{3}

\displaystyle NaF

\displaystyle NH_{4}Cl

\displaystyle LiBr

Correct answer:

\displaystyle NH_{4}Cl

Explanation:

A salt will dissolve in water completely, existing as the individual ions that make up the compound. These ions can be thought of as the conjugate bases and acids that result from the dissociation of the reactant acids and bases. If the conjugate acid of a weak base is present in the solution, then it will become deprotonated, releasing protons into the water and lowering the pH. To answer this question, we are looking for a salt in which one of the ions created is a conjugate acid of a weak base. Let's look at a few examples in order to find the right answer:

1. \displaystyle NaF will dissociate into sodium and fluoride ions. Sodium is the metal found on sodium hydroxide. Since sodium hydroxide is considered a strong base, the sodium ions will NOT attach to any hydroxide ions in solution. Fluoride ions, on the other hand, are the conjugate base of hydrofluoric acid, a weak acid. This means that some of the fluoride ions will attach to protons in solution, effectively raising the pH. This results in a basic solution.

2. \displaystyle LiBr is an example of a salt that will result in a neutral solution. Because lithium ions come from the strong base lithium hydroxide, and bromide ions come from the strong acid hydrobromic acid, neither of these ions will be involved in an acid/base reaction. This results in a solution with a pH of 7.

\displaystyle NH_{4}Cl has two ions: ammonium ions and chloride ions. Chloride ions are the conjugate base of hydrochloric acid, a very strong acid. Ammonium ions, however, are the conjugate acid of ammonia, a weak base. This means that some of the ammonium ions will become deprotonated, and release protons into the solution. this results in an acidic solution.

Example Question #21 : Acids And Bases

Which of the following aqueous compounds is a Brønsted-Lowry acid?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle HF

\displaystyle NH_3

\displaystyle NaOH

\displaystyle CN

\displaystyle CH_4

Correct answer:

\displaystyle HF

Explanation:

A Brønsted-Lowry acid is an ionic compound that donates a proton, when the compound is placed in water.

HF and NaOH are the only ionic compounds of the given answer options; all the others are covalent compounds. When dissolved in water, only HF will donate protons.

\displaystyle HF\rightarrow {\color{Red} H^+}+F^-

Thus, HF is the only given Brønsted-Lowry acid.

Example Question #22 : Acid Base Chemistry

Which of the following is not a strong acid?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle HNO_3

\displaystyle H_2SO_4

\displaystyle HF

\displaystyle HI

\displaystyle HBr

Correct answer:

\displaystyle HF

Explanation:

An acid is classified as strong if it completely dissociates into ions in water. Some examples of common strong acids: \displaystyle HI, H_2SO_4, HNO_3, HBr, HCl, HClO_4

\displaystyle HF is not a strong acid because it doesn't ionize completely in solution.

Example Question #2 : Identifying Acids And Bases

Which of the following compounds may be classified as an Arrhenius acid?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle CO_2

\displaystyle HF

\displaystyle BH_3

\displaystyle KCl

\displaystyle CH_4

Correct answer:

\displaystyle HF

Explanation:

By definition, and Arrhenius acid will dissociate in water to release \displaystyle H^+. \displaystyle HF will dissociate into \displaystyle H^+ and \displaystyle F^- in solution. The increased concentration of \displaystyle H^+ causes a drop in pH of the solution. In general, if a hydrogen atom is bound to a very electronegative atom, like in the case of \displaystyle HF, fluorine tends to take the electron away from hydrogen, resulting in ions.

Example Question #6 : Identifying Acids And Bases

Which of the following is not an acid?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle NH_4^+

\displaystyle NH_3

\displaystyle H_3O^+

\displaystyle HCl

\displaystyle HF

Correct answer:

\displaystyle NH_3

Explanation:

\displaystyle NH_3 or ammonia is a complicated molecule. It's a kind of molecule that we call amphoteric, meaning that it can be an acid or a base. However, because ammonia plays the role of a very weak base, it's mostly thought of as having basic qualities. It has the ability to bind with acids to create an ammonium salt or act as a proton acceptor and become ammonium (acid). 

Also, commonly, acids have the \displaystyle HX format, where \displaystyle X represents a halogen. In another construct, acids ideally have protons that they can donate - this can be observed in \displaystyle H_3O and \displaystyle NH_4^+.

Example Question #21 : Acids And Bases

Which of the following is not a base?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle Ca(OH)_2

\displaystyle NaOH

\displaystyle NH_3

\displaystyle KOH

\displaystyle NH_4^+

Correct answer:

\displaystyle NH_4^+

Explanation:

Commonly, bases have the \displaystyle XOH format, where \displaystyle X is any metallic element from the first two columns of the periodic table. This is seen with \displaystyle Ca(OH)_2\displaystyle KOH, and \displaystyle NaOH. The remaining two options are essentially different "versions" of the same molecule - one just happens to be the protonated form (\displaystyle NH_4^+).  

While \displaystyle NH_3 is technically amphoteric, it's more so thought of in terms of its basic qualities. When it does act as an acid, it's a very weak acid. Ammonia can easily become ammonium, a proton donator, due to the lone pair of electrons that continue to orbit around the nitrogen center. 

Example Question #22 : Acids And Bases

What volume of a 1.2M solution of hydrochloric acid is needed to neutralize 50mL of a 3M sodium hydroxide solution?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 130mL

\displaystyle 125mL

\displaystyle 100mL

\displaystyle 50mL

\displaystyle 200mL

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 125mL

Explanation:

The equation to use here is:

\displaystyle (M_A)(V_A)=(M_B)(V_B)

Here, \displaystyle M_A is the molarity of the acid, \displaystyle V_A is the volume of the acid, \displaystyle M_B is the molarity of the base, and \displaystyle V_B is the volume of the base. Don't forget to convert the volume to liters!

\displaystyle (1.2M)V_A=(3M)(0.050L)

\displaystyle V_A=\frac{(3M)(0.050L)}{1.2M}=0.125L=125mL

Example Question #24 : Acid Base Chemistry

What kind of reaction is an acid-base neutralization reaction?

Possible Answers:

Single-replacement

Addition (synthesis)

Decomposition

Double-replacement

Oxidation-reduction

Correct answer:

Double-replacement

Explanation:

Below is a generic acid-base neutralization reaction:

\displaystyle HA+BOH\rightarrow H_2O + AB

The products are always water, and a salt. This salt is produced from the resulting ions \displaystyle A^- and \displaystyle B^+. The \displaystyle H from the acid replaces the \displaystyle B from the base, and the \displaystyle A from the acid replaces the \displaystyle OH from the base. Since there are two replacements, acid-base neutralizations are classified as double-replacement reactions.

Example Question #25 : Acid Base Chemistry

Which of the following is the definition for an Arrhenius acid?

Possible Answers:

None of these

A proton acceptor

A substance that increases the \displaystyle OH^- concentration when added to water.

A proton donor

A substance that increases the \displaystyle H^+ concentration when added to water

Correct answer:

A substance that increases the \displaystyle H^+ concentration when added to water

Explanation:

Arrhenius acid/base theory was created by Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius, and is the oldest acid/base classification. According to his classification, acids are compounds that increase the concentration of \displaystyle H^+ ions in a solution, while bases are compounds or elements that either decrease the concentration of \displaystyle H^+ ions in solution or increase the concentration of \displaystyle OH^- ions in a solution. The other two answers describe the Brønsted–Lowry theory of acids and bases.

Example Question #1 : Using Acid Dissociation Constant (Ka)

What is the concentration of hydronium ions in a solution if the hydroxide ion concentration is \displaystyle 6.6*10^{-6}M?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 6.6*10^{-6}M

\displaystyle 6.6*10^{8}M

\displaystyle 1.5*10^{-8}M

\displaystyle 1.5*10^{-9}M

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1.5*10^{-9}M

Explanation:

For every acidic or basic solution, the product of the hydroxide ion concentration and the hydronium ion concentration will be equal to \displaystyle 1*10^{-14}, the dissociation constant for water. In other words:

\displaystyle 2H_2O\rightleftharpoons H_3O^++OH^-

\displaystyle K_{sp}=[H_{3}O^{+}][OH^{-}] = 1*10^{-14}

Since we are given the hydroxide ion concentration, we can determine the hydronium ion concentration using this equation.

\displaystyle [H_{3}O^{+}][OH^{-}] = 1*10^{-14}

\displaystyle [H_{3}O^{+}] = \frac{1*10^{-14}}{[OH^{-}]} = \frac{1*10^{-14}}{6.6*10^{-6}} = 1.5*10^{-9}M

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