Important AP Question

OPINION QUESTIONS
Agreement and Disagreement Questions
1. At 25℃, a 0.20 M propanoic acid, CH3CH2COOH, a carboxylic acid, has a pH of 2.80.
Answer questions a and b. [14 marks]

a) Read the following statements, and determine whether each statement is true or false. In
each case, explain the correct reasoning that supports your answer.

i. A solution prepared by mixing 25.0 mL of 0.20 M propanoic acid, CH3CH2COOH with

25.0 mL of 0.20 M KOH has a pH of 7.00. (4 marks)

False (2 marks)
The conjugate base of the weak acid undergoes hydrolysis at equivalence point to
form a solution with pH > 7 (1 mark)
CH3CH2COO⁻ + H2O ⇄ CH3CH2COOH + OH– (1 mark)

ii. If a solution of hydrochloric acid has the same pH as a 0.20 M solution of propanoic
acid, then the concentration of HCl (aq) must be less than the concentration of the
propanoic acid solution (4 marks)

True (2 marks)
HCl is a strong acid that ionizies completely (1 mark)
Less moles of HCl are needed to produce the same concentration of [H3O+] as the
propanoic acid solution that partially ionizes (1 mark)

b) A student was asked to determine the concentration of another sample of propanoic acid.
Using a pipette, the student added 25.00 mL of the propanoic acid to a clean, dry conical
flask. The titrant available is 0.184 M KOH solution. During the process of titration, the
student needed 20.42 mL of the base to reach the end point.

i. What is the molarity of propanoic acid? (2 marks)

Number of moles of H+ = number of moles of OH⁻ (1 mark)

C1V1 = C2V2

C1 ⨯ 25.00 = 0.184 ⨯ 20.42

C1 = 0.150 M (1 mark)
ii. If the student was asked to redesign an experiment to determine the concertation of
butanoic acid (pKa = 4.84) instead of propanoic acid (pKa = 4.89). The student
suggested that another indicator needs to be used to determine the equivalence point
of titration. Do you agree with the claim of the student? Justify your answer. (4
marks)

Disagree(2 marks)
pKa of both acids is very close, this means that the pH at the equivalence point in the
titration of butanoic acid should be close enough to the pH in the titration of
propanoic acid to make the original indicator suitable for the titration of butanoic
acid. (2 marks)