Course Title: Inorganic and Physical Chemistry-I
Course Code: CHE1105
Course tutor: Fouzia Ahmed Anny
Acid, Base and Salt
Acid:
According to Arrhenius concept, acid is a substance which donates proton in aqueous solution.
Example: HCl.
HCl (l) + H2O (aq) H+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)
Base:
According to Arrhenius concept, base is a substance which donates hydroxide in aqueous
solution.
Example: NaOH.
NaOH (l) + H2O (aq) Na+ (aq) + OH- (aq)
pH:
The negative logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration is known as pH.
pH = -log [H+]
pH scale:
pH meter:
pH meter is a device which is used to measure the pH of a solution.
Buffer solution:
Buffer solution is an acid or a base solution consisting of a mixture of weak acid and its salt with
strong base or weak base and its salt with strong acid.
Types of buffer solution:
Buffer solution is of two types:
1. Acidic buffer solution
2. Basic buffer solution
Composition of acidic buffer solution:
CH3COOH + CH3COONa
Weak acid Weak acid with
strong base
Composition of basic buffer solution:
NH4OH + NH4Cl
Weak base Weak base with
strong acid
Buffer action:
Buffer action is defined as the ability of the buffer solution to resist the changes in pH value
when a small amount of an acid or a base is added to it.
Note:
Weak acid/base dissociated as 5-10% and it is denoted as reversible reaction.
CH3COOH CH3COO- + H+
Strong acid/base/salt dissociated as 95% and it is denoted as one directional reaction.
CH3COONa CH3COO- + Na+
Mechanism of buffer action:
Consider,
An acidic buffer solution which contains equimolar amounts of acetic acid (CH3COOH)
and sodium acetate (CH3COONa).
CH3COOH CH3COO- + H+
CH3COONa CH3COO- + Na+
If a small amount of acid is added to it, the hydrogen ions will be removed by CH3COO–. It is
represented as follows:
H+ + CH3COO- CH3COOH
As CH3COOH is a weak acid, it is slightly dissociated and balanced the removed CH3COO- ions
in the solution. Thus the pH of the solution doesn’t change.
If a small amount of base is added to it, the hydroxide ions will be removed by H+. It is
represented as follows:
H+ + OH- H2O
CH3COOH CH3COO- + H+
To balance the removed H+ ions in the solution, the equilibrium shifts from left to right and
slightly dissociated as CH3COO- and H+ ions. As the formation of CH3COO- ions is minor in
amount, thus the pH of the solution doesn’t change.
Mechanism of buffer action:
Consider,
A basic buffer solution which contains equimolar amounts of ammonium hydroxide
(NH4OH) and ammonium chloride (NH4Cl).
NH4OH NH4+ + OH-
NH4Cl NH4+ + Cl-
If a small amount of acid is added to it, the hydrogen ions will be removed by OH-. It is repres
ented as follows:
H+ + OH- H2O
NH4OH NH4+ + OH-
To balance the removed OH- ions in the solution, the equilibrium shifts from left to right and
slightly dissociated as NH4+ and OH- ions. As the formation of NH4+ ions is minor in amount,
thus the pH of the solution doesn’t change.
If a small amount of base is added to it, the hydroxide ions will be removed by NH4+. It is
represented as follows:
NH4+ + OH- NH4OH
As NH4OH is a weak base, it is slightly dissociated and balanced the removed OH- ions in the
solution. Thus the pH of the solution doesn’t change.
Primary standard substance:
Primary standard substances exist in pure state, they don’t react with O2 or H2O, so the
concentration of this solution remain constant and also they don’t damage the analytical
balance during the measurement of weight.
Example: Na2CO3, H2C2O4, K2Cr2O4
Secondary standard substance:
Secondary standard substances exist in impure state, they react with O2 or H2O, so the
concentration of this solution changes and also they damage the analytical balance during the
measurement of weight.
Example: NaOH, HCl, KMnO4.
Titration:
A titration is a technique where a solution of known concentration is used to determine the
concentration of an unknown solution.
It is a acid-base titration.
Indicators:
Indicators are substances that change color when they are added to acidic or basic solutions.
Example: Phenolphthalein, Methyl red and Methyl orange.
Purpose of using indicator:
An indicator is used to usually detect the endpoint of titration by color change.
Indicator pH range Color change
Acid media Basic media
Methyl orange 3.1-4.4 Reddish orange Yellow
Methyl red 4.2-6.2 Red Yellow
Phenolphthalein 8-10 Colorless Pink
Which indicator can be used for strong acid and strong base titration.
Answer: The pH range of strong acid is less than 7 (0.1-6.9) and strong base is greater than 7
(7.1-14). Whereas the pH range of methyl orange, methyl red and phenolphthalein indicators are
3.1-4.4, 4.2-6.2 and 8-10, respectively. Thus all the indicators (methyl orange, methyl red and
phenolphthalein) can be used for strong acid and strong base titration.
Which indicator can be used for strong acid and weak base titration?
Answer: The pH range of strong acid is less than 7 (0.1-6.9) whereas the pH range of methyl
orange and methyl red indicators are 3.1-4.4 and 4.2-6.2, respectively. Thus methyl orange and
methyl red indicators can be used for strong acid and weak base titration.
Which indicator can be used for strong base and weak acid titration?
Answer: The pH range of strong base is greater than 7 (7.1-14) whereas the pH range of
phenolphthalein is 8-10. Thus phenolphthalein indicator can be used for strong base and weak
acid titration.
Which indicator can be used for weak base and weak acid titration?
Answer: No indicator.
Calculation of pH:
1. The concentration of acetic acid (CH3COOH) is 0.1 M. Calculate the pH.
Given,
The concentration of acetic acid = 0.1 M
The dissociation of acetic acid is CH3COOH CH3COO- + H+
We know,
pH = - log [H+]
= - log [0.1]
=1
2. The concentration of H2SO4 is 0.1 M. Calculate the pH.
Given,
The concentration of H2SO4 = 0.1 M
The dissociation of sulphuric acid is H2SO4 2H+ + SO42-
We know,
pH = - log [H+]
= - log [2 x 0.1]
= 0.7
The pH value of H2SO4 is more lower than CH3COOH which indicates that H2SO4 is more
stronger acid than CH3COOH.
3. The concentration of NaOH is 0.1 M. Calculate the pH.
The dissociation of sodium hydroxide is NaOH Na+ + OH-
We know,
pOH = - log [OH-]
= - log [0.1]
=1
We also know,
pH + pOH = 14
Or, pH = 14 - pOH
= 14 – 1
= 13
4. The concentration of Ca(OH)2 is 0.1 M. Calculate the pH.
The dissociation of calcium hydroxide is Ca(OH)2 Ca2+ + 2OH-
We know,
pOH = - log [OH-]
= - log [2 x 0.1]
= 0.7
We also know,
pH + pOH = 14
Or, pH = 14 - pOH
= 14 – 0.7
= 13.03
The pH value of Ca(OH)2 is more higher than NaOH which indicates that Ca(OH)2 is more
stronger base than NaOH.
Questions type
1. Define the following terms with example:
Acid, Base, Buffer solution, Titration, Indicators, Buffer action, pH.
2. What are the composition of acidic/basic buffer solution? Write down the mechanism of
buffer action of acidic/basic buffer solution.
3. Which indicator can be used for strong acid and strong base titration/ Which indicator can
be used for strong base and weak acid titration/ Which indicator can be used for strong
base and weak acid titration?
4. pH related math.
