Activity 2.

Water, acids and bases, buffers

1. Given the following solvents and their dielectric
constants:
Hexane - 1.88
Benzene - 4.6
Ethanol - 25
Water - 80
a. Draw the structures of each and label the orbitals
involved in the bonds present in each structure.
b. Which solvents can dissolve non-polar molecules?
Explain your answer.
c. Which solvents can dissolve polar molecules? Explain
your answer.
(3 points)
a. Draw the structures of each and label the orbitals
involved in the bonds present in each structure.
a. Draw the structures of each and label the orbitals
involved in the bonds present in each structure.
b. Which solvents can dissolve non-polar molecules?
Explain your answer. (3 points)
- Hexane, Benzene, and Ethanol are the solvents that can dissolve
non-polar molecules. This apply the rule of “like dissolves like”,
non-polar solvents like hexane, benzene and ethanol can dissolve
non-polar molecules. Non-polar molecules are attracted to
themselves
c. Which solvents can dissolve polar molecules? Explain
your answer. (3 points)
- Ethanol and water. Water cannot dissolve non polar molecules
because the attractive forces that operate between the particles in
a nonpolar compound are weak dispersion forces. Ethanol can
both dissolve polar and non- polar molecules because of its OH
group and having high electronegativity of oxygen for hydrogen
bonding.
2. Calculate the pH of the following solutions:

a. 0.1 M HCl
b. 0.1 M NaOH
c. 1 nM HCl
d. 0.1 M Acetic acid, Ka= 1.8 X 10-5
e. 0.1 M NH3 , Kb = 1.76 X 10-5

(5 points)
2. Calculate the pH of the following solutions:

a. 0.1 M HCl
pH of 0.1 M HCl
HCl(aq) + H2O(l)  H3O+(aq) + Cl-

HCl(aq)  H+(aq) + Cl-

H+ = 0.1 mol/L
pH = - log [H+]
= - log (0.1)
=1
2. Calculate the pH of the following solutions:

b. 0.1 M NaOH
pH of 0.1 M NaOH
[OH-] = 0.1 M
pOH = - log[OH-] = - log (0.1)
pOH = 1

pH + pOH= 14
13 + 1 = 14
pH = 13
2. Calculate the pH of the following solutions:

c. 1 nM HCl
pH of 1 nM HCl
[H+] = (10-7+ 10-9M)

= - log (10-7+ 10-9M)

= 7
. Calculate the pH of the following solutions:
d. 0.1 M Acetic acid, Ka= 1.8 X 10-5
pH of 0.1 M Acetic acid
HA(aq) + H2O(l)  H3O+(aq) + A-(aq)

I 0.1M -- 0M 0M
C -x -- +x +x
E 0.1 -x -- x x
Ka= =
=

= 1.34 x 10-3 M
pH = - log[H3O+]

pH = - log [1.34 x 10-3]= 2.87

. Calculate the pH of the following solutions:
e. 0.1 M NH3 , Kb = 1.76 X 10-5
pH of 0.1 M Acetic acid
NH3(aq) + H2O(l) NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq)

I 0.1M -- 0 0
C -x -- +x +x
E 0.1 -x -- +x +x
Kb= =
=

= 1.32 x 10-3 M
pOH = - log[OH-] pH = 14 – 2.88
= - log [1.32 x 10-3]= 2.88 pH = 11.12
3. Buffer preparation
Describe the preparation of 250mL of 0.20M acetic acid buffer, pH=4 from
1M HAc (pKa=4.76) and solid sodium acetate.
(2 points)
Solve for [HA] and [A-]
Using Henderson-Hasselbach equation:
pH = pKa + log
5 = 4.76 + log
5 – 4.76 = log
-0.76 = log
10-0.76 =
0.1737800829 =
[HA] + [A-] = 0.20 M
[HA] = 0.20 M - [A-] (substitute with x)
therefore, [HA] = 0.20 – X , [A-] = x
0.1737800829 =
0.1737800829 =
Solve for x
0.1737800829 (0.20 -x) = x
x= 0.029610
solve for concentration of;
[HA] = 0.20 – x = 0.20 – 0.029610 = 0.17039 M
[A-] = x = 0.029610 M
solve for number of mmoles of;
HA= 0.17039 M x 250mL = 42.5975 mmol
A= 0.029610 x 250mL = 7.4025 mmol
Solving the amount in mL to prepare buffer
Hac = 42.5975 mmol x = 42.60 mL
NaAc = 7.4025 mmol x = 7.42 mL
because 42.60 + 7.42 = 50.02 mL, the solution will be diluted with water up to the mark
(250mL).