Question #b3509

1 Answer
Jun 4, 2015

!! LONG ANSWER !!

After the addition of the hydrochloric acid solution, the pH of the buffer will be equal to 3.97.

This time you're dealing with a buffer solution that consists of benzoic acid, C_6H_5COOHC6H5COOH, which is a weak acid, and the benzoate anion, C_6H_5COO^(-)C6H5COO, which is its conjugate base.

When you add the hydrochloric acid solution, the strong acid will react with the conjugate base to produce more benzoic acid. In the process, the hydrochloric acid will be completely consumed.

The number of moles of benzoic acid and of benzoate anions initially present in the solution are

C = n/V => n = C * VC=nVn=CV

n_"benzoic acid" = "0.150 M" * "1.00 L" = "0.150 moles"nbenzoic acid=0.150 M1.00 L=0.150 moles

n_"benzoate" = "0.250 M" * "1.00 L" = "0.250 moles"nbenzoate=0.250 M1.00 L=0.250 moles

The number of moles of hydrochloric acid you add to the buffer is equal to

n_(HCl) = "1.00 M" * 100 * 10^(-3)"L" = "0.100 moles"nHCl=1.00 M100103L=0.100 moles

You can use an ICF table to help you manage the number of moles of each compound that get consumed/produced. The balanced chemical equation for this reaction looks like this

" "C_6H_5COO_((aq))^(-) + HCl_((aq)) -> C_6H_5COOH_((aq)) + Cl_((aq))^(-) C6H5COO(aq)+HCl(aq)C6H5COOH(aq)+Cl(aq)
I..........0.250......................0.100...................0.150
C.......(-0.100)....................(-0.100)................(+0.100)
F.........0.150..........................0.........................0.250

You started with 0.250 moles of benzoate ions and 0.150 moles of benzoic acid, and ended up with 0.150 moles of benzoate ions and 0.250 moles of benzoic acid.

All the hydrochloric acid was consumed by the reaction.

The total volume of the solution will be

V_"total" = V_"initial" + V_(HCl)Vtotal=Vinitial+VHCl

V_"total" = "1.00 L" + 100 * 10^(-3)"L" = "1.10 L"Vtotal=1.00 L+100103L=1.10 L

The new concentrations of the benzoic acid and of the benzoate ions will be

[C_6H5COOH] = "0.250 moles"/"1.10 L" = "0.2273 M"[C6H5COOH]=0.250 moles1.10 L=0.2273 M

[C_6H_5COO^(-)] = "0.150 moles"/"1.10 L" = "0.1364 M"[C6H5COO]=0.150 moles1.10 L=0.1364 M

The pK_apKa of the acid is

pK_a = -log(K_a) = -log(6.5 * 10^(-5)) = 4.19pKa=log(Ka)=log(6.5105)=4.19

Use the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation to determine the pH of the solution

pH_"sol" = pK_a + log(([C_6H_5COO^(-)])/([C_6H_5COOH]))pHsol=pKa+log([C6H5COO][C6H5COOH])

pH_"sol" = 4.19 + log((0.1364cancel("M"))/(0.2273cancel("M"))) = color(green)(3.97)

SIDE NOTE The initial pH of the buffer was

pH_"initial" = 4.19 + log(0.250/0.150) = 4.41