Assignment #1 M 122

1. Order the following molecules from highest oxidation state to lowest

oxidation state - methanol, carbonic acid, formaldehyde, methane

2. Based on electronegativity, predict the strength of hydrogen bonds

involving hydrogens of sulfhydryl groups compared to hydroxyl groups

3. Porin is a protein embedded in a membrane. Predict how the

orientation of its amino acids would be different from those of a protein
found in the aqueous environment of the cytoplasm.

For the buffer problems below, use the following pKas - Acetic acid = 4.76.
For the phosphate buffers below, you can use pKa1 = 2.1, pKa2 = 7.21, and
pKa3 = 12.87

1. Using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, explain why when a

solution is at a pH below the pKa for an acid that more than 50% of
the molecules have the proton on (not off).

2. Using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, determine the ratio of

acetate ion (salt) to acetic acid (acid) present in a 1 M solution at the
following pHs

a. pH = 1
b. pH = 2
c. pH = 3
d. pH = 5
e. pH = 7
f. pH = 9

3. At physiological pH (7.0), what will be the predominant form of

phosphate present in cells? (H3PO4? H2PO4-? HPO4-2, or PO4-3?)
Justify your answer using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation.

4. Formic acid has a pKa of 3.75 and acetic acid has a pKa of 4.76.
Why do we consider formic acid to be a "stronger" acid than acetic
acid? Your answer should have a mathematical basis.

5. A new molecule is discovered, JUST. It contains ionizable groups

with the following pKas:

Carboxyl #1 pKa = 2.2

Carboxyl #2 pKa = 4.4
Amine #1 pKa = 5.0
Amine #2 pKa = 8.5
Amine #3 pKa = 9.5

Predict the charge on JUST at the following pHs:

1.0 / 7.0 / 11.0

6. One liter of 1M acetate buffer at pH = 4.5 is mixed with 600 ml of .

5M acetate buffer at pH = 4.8 and then one liter of HCl (0.1M) is
added. What is the pH of the final solution?