Name: Essielve T.

Batistil Subject: Chem 137

BIOCHEMISTRY I – WATER: THE SOLVENT FOR BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS

Module 1

Learning Task 2.1

1. Draw the hydrogen bonding pattern that water forms with acetamide (CH3CONH2).

2. Calculate the pH of: (a) 0.1M HCl; (b) 0.1M NaOH; (c) 3 x 10-5 M HNO3; (d) 5 x 10 -10 M HClO4;
and (e) 2 x 10-8 M KOH.
3. Salicylic acid, the starting material for the preparation of aspirin, has a Ka of 1.06 × 10−3.
What is its pKa?
Ans:

4. Calculate the pH of a mixture of 0.10 M acetic acid and 0.20 M sodium acetate. The pKa
of acetic acid is 4.76.

Ans:
 Assessment 2.1

1. A decrease of blood pH from 7.5 to 6.5 would be accompanied by which of the following
changes in ion concentration? (A) A 10-fold increase in hydrogen ion concentration. (B)
A 10-fold increase in hydroxyl ion concentration. (C) An increase in hydrogen ion
concentration by a factor of 7.5/6.5. (D) A decrease in hydrogen ion concentration by a
factor of 6.5/7.5. (E) A shift in the concentration of buffer anions, with no change in
hydrogen ion concentration.

Ans:A) a tenfold increase in hydrogen concentration

2. Calculate the ratio of the concentrations of acetate and acetic acid required in a buffer
system of pH 5.30.

Ans:

3. Aspirin is a weak acid with a pKa of 3.5. it is absorbed into the blood through the cells
lining the stomach and the small intestine. Absorption requires passage through the
plasma membrane, the rate of which is determined by the polarity of the molecule:
charged and highly polar molecules pass slowly, whereas neutral hydrophobic ones pass
rapidly. The pH of the stomach contents is about 1.5, and the pH of the contents of the
small intestine is about 6. Is more aspirin absorbed into the bloodstream from the
stomach or the small intestine? Justify your choice.

Ans: There are more aspirin that can be absorbed in the intestine because the intestine is less
acidic compared to that in stomach moreover the membranes in the intestine is permeable
which is capable for absorption
 WORKSHEET ON ACIDS AND BASES

Hydronium

H+ + Cl-

hydroxide

Na+ + OH-

hydronium hydroxide

Na+ + Cl-

acid
salt
base acid
acid acid
salt base
acid salt
base salt
 sour

hydrogen

Electrolytes
salt

bitter slippery
electricity
electrolytes
acids water

acids
Potassium nitrate Ammonium hydroxide
Potassium nitrite Aluminum hydroxide

two hydrogen

three

-ic -ous

Phosphoric acid
Acetic acid
Carbonic acid Chlorous acid
Hydrofluoric acid Sulfurous acid