nwabuisi (upn64) – Post-lab 7 Weak acid buffer – lyon – (50555)
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001 10.0 points
Explain why the salt of a weak acid, as well
as the acid itself, must be present to form a
buffer solution.
1. The cation from the salt is needed to
partially neutralize added acid.
2. The anion from the salt is needed to
partially neutralize added acid. correct
3. The anion from the salt is needed to
partially neutralize added base.
4. Actually, a weak acid by itself is a buffer;
no salt is needed.
5. The cation from the salt is needed to
partially neutralize added base.
Explanation:
The salt of the acid provides the anion
which is the conjugate base of the buffer sys-
tem:
↽ A− + H3 O+
HA + H2 O ⇀
This anion A− reacts with any added acid
(H3 O+ ) to prevent any appreciable change in
pH.
002 10.0 points
Consider 0.7 L of a buffer composed of 0.4 M
HClO and 0.5 M NaClO? How many moles of
strong base could this buffer withstand?
1. 0.5
2. 0.28 correct
3. 0
4. 0.35
5. 0.4
Explanation:
1
Any added strong base will react with the
weak acid that is present (in this case HClO),
of which there are 0.28 moles (0.7 L x 0.4 M
= 0.28 moles).
003 10.0 points
In the titration of a weak acid with a strong
base, why is pH equal to pKa at the half-
equivalence point?
1. At the equivalence point, the number
of moles of base added from the burette is
equal to the number of moles of acid initially
present. The total number of moles has there-
fore been doubled, and the pH is equal to
double the pKa value. Moving to the half-
equivalence point divides this number in two,
so at that point the pH is equal to pKa .
2. At the half-equilvalence point of a titra-
tion pH is undefined, so it simplifies the cal-
culations to assign the pH a value equal to
pKa .
3. The equivalence point is by definition the
point where the pH is equal to the pKa , and
since the half-equivalence point is on the same
titration curve, the pH at the half-equivalence
point is also equal to pKa .
4. At the half-equivalence point, [HA] is
equal to [A− ], so they cancel out in the equi-
librium expression. That means that at this
point in the titration curve, Ka = [H+ ], or
pKa = pH. correct
Explanation:
004 10.0 points
Consider 4 L of a buffer composed of 2 M
HCN and 3 M NaCN? How many moles of
strong acid could this buffer withstand?
1. 0
2. 8
3. 2
4. 12 correct
 nwabuisi (upn64) – Post-lab 7 Weak acid buffer – lyon – (50555) 2
nCH3 COO− = 200 × 1.0 = 200 mmol
5. 3 nNa+ = 200 × 1.0 = 200 mmol
pH = 4.74
Explanation:
Any added strong acid will react with the CH3 COOH + NaOH→ CH3 COO− + Na+
weak base that is present (in this case CN-), + H2 O
of which there are 12 moles (4 L x 3 M = 12 ini 200 20 200 200
moles). ∆ −20 −20 20 20
fin 180 0 220 220
005 10.0 points Na+ is a spectator ion.
A weak acid HX has Ka = 1.00 × 10−6. What
CH3 COOH/CH3 COO− is a buffer system.
would be the pH of a 0.10 M solution of HX
Since [CH3 COOH] = [CH3 COO− ] in the orig-
in water? inal buffer pKa = pHini = 4.74, and
1. 2.50  !
CH3 COO−
pHfin = pKa + log
2. 3.50 correct [CH3 COOH]
 
220
3. 6.00 = 4.74 + log
180
= 4.82715
4. 7.00

5. 3.00
Explanation:
006 10.0 points
A buffer (pH 4.74) was prepared by mixing
1.00 mole of acetic acid and 1.00 mole of
sodium acetate to form an aqueous solution
with a total volume of 1.00 L. To 200 mL of
this solution was added 20.0 mL of 1.00 M
NaOH. What is the pH of this solution?
1. 5.15
007 10.0 points
A buffer is created by mixing together 22 mL
of 1.3 M sodium formate and 12 mL of 1 M
formic acid. What is the capacity of the buffer
if 0.2 M NaOH is added?
1. 143 mL of NaOH can be added.
2. 60 mL of NaOH can be added. correct
3. Cannot be calculated without knowing
the Ka of formic acid.

2. 5.33 4. 0.2 M NaOH

3. 4.83 correct Explanation:

4. 4.41
HA ⇀
↽ A− + H+
12 mL 22 mL
5. 4.97 1M 1.3 M
Explanation: 12 mmol 28.6 mmol
[CH3COOH] = 1 M [NaOH] = 1 M
[CH3COO− ] = 1 M pHini = 4.74 NaOH is a strong base and will react with
HA, the acid component of the buffer system.
Initial condition (ini): There is only 12 mmol of HA; therefore only
nCH3 COOH = 200 × 1.0 = 200 mmol 12 mmol of NaOH can be added before the
nNaOH = 20 × 1.0 = 20 mmol capacity of the buffer is reached:
 nwabuisi (upn64) – Post-lab 7 Weak acid buffer – lyon – (50555) 3

0.2 mmol 2. 4.44 correct

0.2 M =
mL 3. 11.33
1 mL
12 mmol × = 60 mL
0.2 mmol 4. 7.00
008 10.0 points 5. 8.95
How much acetic acid (Ka = 1.8 × 10−5 ) must
be used to prepare a liter of solution having a
6. 2.67
pH of 2.75?
7. 9.56
1. 0.0101 moles
Explanation:
2. 0.435 moles
010 10.0 points
3. 0.178 moles correct Calculate pKa for acetic acid.

4. 9.88 moles 1. 5.26

5. 5.69 moles 2. −4.74

Explanation:
3. −0.26
pH = − log[H+ ] = 2.75
4. 4.74 correct
so
5. 0.26
[H+ ] = log−1 (−2.75) = 1.778 × 10−3 mol
Explanation:

↽ H+ + A−
HA ⇀ 011 10.0 points
Substitute +
[H ] = [A ] = 1.778 × 10
− −3 A buffer solution is composed of 0.15M HA
into the equation for Ka : and 0.25M NaA. What is the pH of the buffer
solution if HA has a Ka = 3.5 × 10−4 ?

[H+ ][A− ] 1. 4.01

Ka =
[HA]

2 2. 4.95
[H+ ][A− ] 1.778 × 10−3
[HA] = =
Ka 1.8 × 10−5 3. 5.28
≈ 0.178 mol
4. 2.15
009 10.0 points
5. 3.68 correct
A buffer solution is formed by the partial
neutralization of 600 mL of 0.5 M CH3 COOH Explanation:
with 200 mL of 0.5 M NaOH. What is the pH Using the Henderson-Hasselbalch relation-
of the resulting solution? Ka for acetic acid is ship
1.8 × 10−5 . pKa = −log Ka
= −log(3.5 × 10−4)
1. 5.05 = 3.46
 nwabuisi (upn64) – Post-lab 7 Weak acid buffer – lyon – (50555) 4

2. 7.00
 
[A− ]
pH = pKa + log
[HA] 
[salt] 3. 5.1
= pKa + log
 [acid] 4. 8.91 correct
0.25
= 3.46 + log
0.15 Explanation:
= 3.68 Acetic acid reacts with sodium hydroxide:

012 10.0 points HAc + NaOH → NaAc + H2 O

All components are present in 0.10 M concen- 0.3 mol HA
trations. (0.05 L HAc) × = 0.015 mol HA
1 L HA
I) HCN and NaCN 0.2 mol NaOH
II) NH3 and NH4 Cl (0.075 L NaOH) ×
III) HNO3 and NH4 NO3 1 L NaOH
= 0.015 mol NaOH
IV) HClO3 and NaClO3 All HAc and NaOH reacts to give 0.015
Which will give buffer solutions? mol Na+ and 0.015 mol Ac− . The Na+ has no
effect on pH.
1. I and III only Ac− is a weak base; the initial concentra-
tion of Ac− is
2. I and II only correct 0.015 mol
[Ac− ] = = 0.12 M
0.125 L
3. II, III and IV only
We set up an ICE table with molarities:
4. III and IV only
Ac− + H2 O ⇀
↽ HAc + OH−
I 0.12 0 0
5. I, III and IV only
C −x +x +x
Explanation:
Buffers are formed in one of two ways, by E 0.12 − x x x
combining a weak acid and its conjugate base
or by combining a weak base and its conjugate
acid. [HAc] [OH− ] Kw
Kb = =
HNO3 and HClO3 are both strong acids [Ac ]
− Ka
and cannot be used to make effective buffer 1 × 10−14
solutions. = = 5.55556 × 10−10
1.8 × 10 −5
HCN is a weak acid and NaCN is the salt of
its conjugate base, CN− . NH3 is a weak base Assuming x is small,
and NH4 Cl is the salt of its conjugate acid,
x·x x2
NH+ 4 . Therefore 1 and 2 can be used to make Kb = ≈
effective buffer solutions. 0.12 − x 0.12
q
p
x = 0.12 Kb = 0.12 (5.55556 × 10−10 )
013 10.0 points
A solution of 50 mL of 0.3 M acetic acid is = 8.16497 × 10−6 = [OH− ]
titrated with 75 mL of 0.2 M NaOH. What is 1 × 10−14
the pH of the resulting solution? Ka for acetic [H+ ] = = 1.22474 × 10−9
8.16 × 10−6
acid is 1.8 × 10−5 ?

1. 12.1 pH = − log(1.22474 × 10−9 ) = 8.91195

 nwabuisi (upn64) – Post-lab 7 Weak acid buffer – lyon – (50555)
Note: If you do the ICE table using moles of
Ac− not [Ac− ], then find moles of OH− , and
eventually pH you will get a slightly different
answer of 9.36 (due to rounding error.)
014 (part 1 of 2) 10.0 points
Calculate the pH of a solution made by mixing
60.0 mL of 0.120 M HNO3 and 850.0 mL
of deionized water. Is the resulting solution
acidic or basic?
1. pH = 4.000. The solution is acidic.
2. pH = 8.000. The solution is basic.
3. pH = 2.102. The solution is acidic. cor-
rect
5
Explanation:
pH is an intensive property – the volume
of the solution does not affect the pH, so the
volume is not used at all in the pH calculation.
If you take the negative log of the NaOH
concentration, that will give you the pOH
(3.495), not the pH, so you have to subtract
that value from 14 to get the pH.
016 10.0 points
How many grams of sodium acetate must be
added to 100 mL of 3.0 M CH3 COOH to
prepare a buffer solution having a pH of 3.62?
1. 3.3 g
2. 7.4 g

4. pH = 2.000. The solution is acidic. 3. 5.0 g

5. pH = 0.00791. The solution is acidic. 4. 2.5 g

Explanation:
The H+ concentration in the final solution 5. 1.9 g correct
is
60 mL Explanation:
0.120 M × = 0.00791 M. Vacetate = 100 mL pH = 3.62
(60 + 850 mL)
[CH3 COOH] = 3.0 M Ka = 1.8 × 10−5
When calculating pH, the number of digits
after the decimal point in the pH should be
equal to the number of significant digits in the  
[CH3 COO− ]
concentration (three and three in this case), pH = pKa + log
because the digits in front of the decimal point [H3 COOH]
in the pH come from the exponent on the = pKa + log [CH3COO− ]
concentration. − log [CH3 COOH]

015 (part 2 of 2) 10.0 points

Calculate the pH of 35.0 mL of a 5.50 ×10−2
M NaOH solution. Is this solution acidic or log [CH3 COO− ] = pH − pKa
basic? + log [CH3 COOH]
= 3.62
1. pH = 8.903. The solution is basic.
− [− log(1.8 × 10−5 )]
2. pH = 12.740. The solution is basic. cor- + log 3.0
rect = −0.647606

3. pH = 1.260. The solution is acidic.

[NaCH3 COO] = [CH3 COO− ]
4. pH = 11.903. The solution is basic.
= 10−0.647606
5. pH = 5.097. The solution is acidic. = 0.225109 M
 nwabuisi (upn64) – Post-lab 7 Weak acid buffer – lyon – (50555) 6
0.225109 M NaCH3COO
(100 mL soln) ×
1000 mL soln
82.03 g NaCH3 COO
×
1 mol NaCH3 COO
b
= 1.84657 g NaCH3 COO II
pH
017 10.0 points Ib
A solution is prepared by mixing 250 mL of
1.00 M CH3 COOH with 500 mL of 1.00 M
NaCH3COO. What is the pH of this solution?
(Ka for CH3 COOH = 1.8 × 10−5 )
Volume of base added
1. 5.36
The pH at point I is equal to the and
2. 4.58 the pH at point II is 7.

3. 5.05 correct 1. pH of the acid; less than

4. 4.44 2. pH of the acid; greater than

5. 4.74 3. pKa of the acid; less than

4. pKa of the acid; equal to

Explanation:
5. pKa of the acid; greater than correct
VCH3 COOH = 250 mL [CH3 COOH] = 1.00 M
VNaCH3 COO = 500 mL Explanation:
[NaCH3COO] = 1.00 M
250 mmol 019 10.0 points
[CH3COOH] =
750 mL Which of the following ions undergo hydroly-
500 mmol sis?
[CH3COO ] =
−
750 mL
1. NO−
2 correct

2. ClO−
3

[CH3 COO− ] 3. ClO−

4
pH = pKa + log
[CH3 COOH]

500
 4. NO−
3
= − log(1.8 × 10 −5
) + log
250
5. Cl−
= 5.04576
Explanation:
Only NO−2 , which is the conjugate base of
the weak acid HNO2 , can undergo hydrolysis
here. The other ions are conjugate bases of
strong acids and therefore have no strength
018 10.0 points whatsoever. No strength means that they do
The figure below shows the titration of a not undergo hydrolysis.
monoprotic weak acid with a strong base.
 nwabuisi (upn64) – Post-lab 7 Weak acid buffer – lyon – (50555) 7
020 10.0 points
A buffer solution is made from 10 mL of 0.1
M acetic acid and 20 mL of 0.2 M sodium
acetate. To the solution 5 mL of 0.8 M HNO3
is added. What is the pH of the resulting
solution? Ka for acetic acid is 1.8 × 10−5 .

1. 2.79 correct

2. 0.096

3. 5.34

4. 2.51

5. 3.52
Explanation:
HNO3 : (0.8 M)(5 mL) = 4 mmol will react
with acetate
Neutralization:

HAc ⇀ ↽ H+ + Ac−
10 mL 20 mL
0.1 M 0.2 M
1 mmol 4 mmol
4 mmol −4 mmol
5 mmol 0 mmol

Equilibrium re-established:
5 mmol
= 0.143 mol/L
35 mL
Ka
HAc ↽ H+ + Ac−
⇀
0.143 M − −
0.143 − x x x

x2
Ka =
CHA − x
Assumption:

x = [H+ ] = Ka CHA
p
q
= (1.8 × 10−5 )(0.143)
= 0.00160437 M
pH = −log[H+ ]
= −log(0.00160437)
= 2.7947