Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 14: Problem 20

The salt \(\mathrm{BX}\) , when dissolved in water, produces an acidic solution. Which of the following could be true? (There may be more than one correct answer.) a. The acid HX is a weak acid. b. The acid HX is a strong acid. c. The cation \(B^{+}\) is a weak acid. Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The salt BX, when dissolved in water, produces an acidic solution. The possible scenarios that could be true are: a. The acid HX is a weak acid. c. The cation \(B^{+}\) is a weak acid.

Step by step solution

01

Option a: The acid HX is a weak acid

A weak acid, HX, does not fully ionize in water, producing only a small amount of [H+] ions. If the salt BX was derived from a weak acid, its dissolution in water will result in an acidic solution due to the partial ionization of the acid. Therefore, option a could be true.
02

Option b: The acid HX is a strong acid

A strong acid, HX, fully ionizes in water, producing a high concentration of [H+] ions. However, if the salt BX was derived from a strong acid, it will be neutralized by the conjugate base to form a neutral or slightly basic solution. In this case, the salt BX would not produce an acidic solution upon dissolution in water. Therefore, option b is not true.
03

Option c: The cation \(B^{+}\) is a weak acid

If the cation \(B^{+}\) from the salt BX is a weak acid, it will ionize in water to form another acidic species, such as Equation: \(B^{+} + H_2O \rightleftharpoons HB + OH^{-}\). This will increase the [H+] ions' concentration in the solution, making it acidic. Therefore, option c could be true. In conclusion, the exercise states that the salt BX, when dissolved in water, produces an acidic solution. The possible scenarios that could be true given the information are: a. The acid HX is a weak acid. c. The cation \(B^{+}\) is a weak acid.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Calculate the \(\mathrm{pH}\) of a $0.20-M \mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{NH}_{2}\( solution \)\left(K_{\mathrm{b}}=\right.\( \)5.6 \times 10^{-4} )$

Trichloroacetic acid $\left(\mathrm{CCl}_{3} \mathrm{CO}_{2} \mathrm{H}\right)$ is a corrosive acid that is used to precipitate proteins. The pH of a \(0.050-M\) solution of trichloroacetic acid is the same as the pH of a \(0.040-M \mathrm{HClO}_{4}\) solution. Calculate \(K_{\mathrm{a}}\) for trichloroacetic acid.

At \(25^{\circ} \mathrm{C},\) a saturated solution of benzoic acid \(\left(K_{\mathrm{a}}=6.4 \times 10^{-5}\right)\) has a pH of \(2.80 .\) Calculate the water solubility of benzoic acid in moles per liter.

The pH of \(1.0 \times 10^{-8} M\) hydrochloric acid is not \(8.00 .\) The correct pH can be calculated by considering the relationship between the molarities of the three principal ions in the solution $\left(\mathrm{H}^{+}, \mathrm{Cl}^{-}, \text { and } \mathrm{OH}^{-}\right) .$ These molarities can be calculated from algebraic equations that can be derived from the considerations given below. a. The solution is electrically neutral. b. The hydrochloric acid can be assumed to be 100\(\%\) ionized. c. The product of the molarities of the hydronium ions and the hydroxide ions must equal \(K_{w}\) Calculate the pH of a \(1.0 \times 10^{-8}-M\) HCl solution.

Calculate the \(\mathrm{pH}\) of a $0.050-M \mathrm{Al}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{3}\right)_{3}\( solution. The \)K_{\mathrm{a}}$ value for \(\mathrm{Al}\left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{6}^{3+}\) is $1.4 \times 10^{-5} .$
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation

Making Measurements

Read Explanation

Nuclear Chemistry

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free