ACS Chemistry Olympiad Questions: Acid-Base Chemistry

A standard HCl solution is titrated to a pink phenolphthalein endpoint by adding a NaOH solution
while stirring. If a solution becomes pink throughout but loses its color upon standing for a short
time, what should be done to restore the color?
a) add more phenolphthalein indicator
b) add an additional drop of NaOH solution
c) add an additional drop of HCl solution
d) stir more vigorously
The dihydrogen phosphate ion undergoes these reactions in water:
H2PO4- + H2O HPO42- + H3O+ K= 6.2 x 10-8
H2PO4- + H2O H3PO4 + OH- K= 1.6 x 10-7
What is the conjugate base of H2PO4- ? a) HPO42- b) H2O c) OH- d) H3PO4
What is the pH of a 0.15 M solution of formic acid, HCOOH? (HCOOH K a = 1.9 x 10-4)
a) 1.49
b) 2.27 c) 3.72
d) 4.55
Which of these mixture constitute buffer solutions?
Mixture 1: 25 mL of 0.10 M HNO3 andMixture 2:
25 mL of 0.10 M HC2H3O2 and
25 mL of 0.10 M. NaNO3
25 mL of 0.10 M NaOH
a) 1 only b) 2 only c) both 1 and 2 d) neither 1 nor 2
Which salt gives the most acidic 0.1 M solution in water:
a) NaCl b) NaNO2 c) NH4Cl d) NH4NO2
The ionization of hypochlorous acid: HOCl H+ + OCl- has K= 3.0 x 10-8 at 25C.
What is K for the following reaction? OCl- + H2O HOCl + OHa) 3.3 x 10-7 b) 3.0 x 10-8 c) 3.0 x 106 d) 3.3 x 107
Which set of reactants produces a gaseous product?
I. 6 M HNO3 + Cu(s) II. 6 M HCl + CaCO3(s)
a) I only b) II only c) Both I and II d) Neither I nor II
Which are strong acids?
I. HI II. HNO3 III. H2SO3

a) II only b) *I and II only c) II and III only d) I, I and III

What is the equilibrium constant expression for this system: H 2(g) + I2(s) 2 HI(g)

H = +51.8 kJ

2[HI]
[HI]2
[H2] [I2]
c)
K
=
d)
K
=
[H2][I2]
[H2]
[HI]2
The ionization of benzoic acid is represented by this equation:
C6H5COOH H+ + C6H5COOIf a 0.045 M solution of benzoic acid has an [H +] = 1.7 x 10-3, what is the Ka of benzoic acid?
a) 7.7 x 10-5 b) 6.4 x 10-5 c) 3.8 x 10-2 d) 8.4 x 10-1
a) K =

[HI]2
[H2][I2]

b) K =

The equilibrium constant for this reaction is less than 1. What is the strongest base in this system?
C6H5OH + CN- HCN + C6H5Oa) C6H5OH b) CN- c) HCN d) C6H5OA 1.50 mL sample of sulfuric acid solution from an automobile storage battery is titrated with
1.47 M sodium hydroxide solution to a phenolphthalein endpoint, requiring 23.70 mL What is the

molarity of the sulfuric acid solution?

a) 23.3 M b) 11.6 M c) 6.30 M

d) 0.181 M

A 0.10 M solution of which salt is the most acidic?

a) NH4C2H3O2 b) NaCN c) KNO3 d) AlCl3
A student is asked to prepare a buffer solution with a pH of 4.00. This can be accomplished by using
a solution containing which of the following: HNO 2 Ka= 4.5 x 10-4 HCN Ka= 4.9 x 10-10
a) HNO2 only b) HCN only c) HNO2 and NaNO2 d) HCN and NaCN
What is the [H+] in a 0.10 M solution of ascorbic acid, C6H8O6?
a) 8.0 x 10-6 b) 2.8 x 10-3 c) 4.0 x 10-3 d) 5.3 x 10-3

Ka = 8.0 x 10-5

For the reaction: 2 CCl4(g) + O2(g) 2 COCl2(g) + 2 Cl2(g) what is the equilibrium expression, Kc?
2
2
2
[COCl2][Cl2]
a) Kc =
b) Kc= 2[COCl2][Cl2]
c) Kc= [COCl2][Cl2] d) Kc= [COCl2] [Cl2]
[CCl4][O2]
[CCl4][O2]
[CCl4]2[O2]
[CCl4][O2]
A 25.00 mL sample of 0.1050 M H2SO4 is titrated with a NaOH solution of unknown concentration.
The phenolphthalein endpoint was reached with 17.23 mL of the NaOH solution had been added.
What is the concentration of the NaOH?
a) 0.07617 M b) 0.1447 M c) 0.1524 M d) 0.3047 M
For the hypothetical reaction, 2 A(s) + B(g) 3 C(g) What is the equilibrium expression?
a) K =

[C]3
[A]2[B]

b) K =

[C]3
[C]3
3[C]_
c) K = 2
d) K =
[B]
[A] +[B]
3[A][B]

Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) behaves as an acid according to the equation shown. Calculate K b for
the C9H7O4-(aq) ion. (Ka = 3.0 x 10-4)
a) 3,0 x 10-17 b)* 3.3 x 10-11 c) 9.0 x 10-8 d) 3.3 x 103
What will happen to the pH of a buffer solution when a small amount of strong base is added? The
pH will:
a) increase slightly b) decrease slightly c) remain exactly the same d) become 7.0
When a solution of NH3 (Kb= 1.8 x 10-5) is titrated with a strong acid, the indicator used should change
color near a pH of:
a) 1 b) 5 c) 9 d) 13
What is the pH of a 0.025 M solution of KOH?
a) 1.60 b) 3.69 c) 10.31 d) 12.40
What is the [H+] of a 0.074 M solution of the acid, HA with a K a = 4.8 x 10-8?
a) 6.1 x 10-4 b) 2.2 x 10-4 c) 6.0 x 10-5 d) 4.8 x 10-8
Which salt produces the most alkaline solution at a concentration of 0.1 M?
a) KNO3 b) MgCl2 c) NH4Cl d) NaNO2
A 0.052 M solution of benzoic acid, C6H5COOH, is titrated with a strong base. What is the [H +] of the
solution one-half way to the equivalence point? (K a of C6H5COOH = 6.3 x 10-5)
a) 6.3 x 10-5 b) 1.8 x 10-3 c) 7.9 x 10-3 d) 2.6 x 10-2