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Chapter 15: Problem 68

How does the strength of an oxoacid depend on the electronegativity and oxidation number of the central atom?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The strength of an oxoacid increases with the increase in the electronegativity and the oxidation state of the central atom. The electronegativity influences the ability of the central atom to attract shared electrons, making the O-H bond weak and ionizable, while a higher oxidation state disperses a larger charge across more oxygen atoms, making the O-H bond more polar and encouraging ionization.

Step by step solution

01

Conceptual Understanding

Begin by understanding the concept of electronegativity and oxidation number. Electronegativity is a measure of how much an atom in a molecule attracts electrons towards itself. The higher the electronegativity, the greater is its ability to attract shared electrons. The oxidation number gives the total number of electrons that an atom either losses or gains in order to form a chemical bond with another atom.
02

Influence of Electronegativity on Acid Strength

The strength of an oxoacid is greatly influenced by the electronegativity of the central atom. If the central atom is highly electronegative, it can withdraw more electron density from the O-H bond, which makes the O-H bond weak and easier to ionize. As a result, the O-H bond can easily lose a proton, H+, thereby increasing the acid strength.
03

Influence of Oxidation Number on Acid Strength

The oxidation number of the central atom also has a significant effect on the strength of an oxoacid. A higher oxidation state of the central atom means a larger charge is delocalized over a larger number of oxygen atoms. This makes the O-H bond more polar, encouraging ionization to release H+ ions and thereby increasing the acid strength.
04

Conclusion

In conclusion, the strength of an oxoacid increases with the increase in the electronegativity and the oxidation state of the central atom.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Novocaine, used as a local anesthetic by dentists, is a weak base \(\left(K_{\mathrm{b}}=8.91 \times 10^{-6}\right) .\) What is the ratio of the concentration of the base to that of its acid in the blood plasma \((\mathrm{pH}=7.40)\) of a patient?

Calculate the hydrogen ion concentration in \(\mathrm{mol} / \mathrm{L}\) for each of the following solutions: (a) a solution whose \(\mathrm{pH}\) is \(5.20,\) (b) a solution whose \(\mathrm{pH}\) is 16.00 , (c) a solution whose hydroxide concentration is \(3.7 \times 10^{-9} M\).

Predict the \(\mathrm{pH}(>7,<7,\) or \(\approx 7)\) of aqueous solutions containing the following salts: (a) \(\mathrm{KBr}\) (b) \(\mathrm{Al}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{3}\right)_{3},(\mathrm{c}) \mathrm{BaCl}_{2},(\mathrm{~d}) \mathrm{Bi}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{3}\right)_{3}\)

Calculate the \(\mathrm{pH}\) of a \(0.20 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{NaHCO}_{3}\) solution. (Hint: As an approximation, calculate hydrolysis and ionization separately first, followed by partial neutralization.)

Which of the following solutions has the highest pH: (a) 0.40 M HCOOH, (b) \(0.40 M \mathrm{HClO}_{4}\), (c) \(0.40 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{COOH} ?\)
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