Determine whether each of the following is a strong acid, weak acid, strong base, or weak base. Then write an equation describing the process that occurs when the substance is dissolved in water. (a) \(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{4}\) (b) \(\mathrm{Ba}(\mathrm{OH})_{2}\) (c) \(\mathrm{HClO}_{4}\) (d) \(\mathrm{HBr}\)

Short Answer

Expert verified
Weak acid - \( \text{H}_{2} \text{C}_2 \text{O}_4 \), Strong base - \( \text{Ba(OH)}_2 \), Strong acids - \( \text{HClO}_4 \) and \( \text{HBr} \)

Step by step solution

01

- Identify \(\text{H}_{2} \text{C}_2 \text{O}_4\)

\( \text{H}_{2} \text{C}_2 \text{O}_4 = \text{oxalic acid}. \) It is a weak acid. Because it does not completely ionize in water.\[ \text{H}_{2} \text{C}_2 \text{O}_4(aq) \leftrightarrow 2\text{H}^+ (aq) + \text{C}_2 \text{O}_4^{2-}(aq) \]
02

- Identify \(\text{Ba(OH)}_2\)

\( \text{Ba(OH)}_2 = Barium hydroxide. \) It is a strong base. Because it completely ionizes in water.\[ \text{Ba(OH)}_2(aq) \rightarrow \text{Ba}^{2+}(aq) + 2\text{OH}^-(aq) \]
03

- Identify \(\text{HClO}_4\)

\( \text{HClO}_4 = Perchloric acid. \) It is a strong acid. Because it completely ionizes in water.\[ \text{HClO}_4(aq) \rightarrow \text{H}^+(aq) + \text{ClO}_4^-(aq) \]
04

- Identify \(\text{HBr}\)

\( \text{HBr} = Hydrobromic acid. \) It is a strong acid. Because it completely ionizes in water.\[ \text{HBr}(aq) \rightarrow \text{H}^+(aq) + \text{Br}^-(aq) \]

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.

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

Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

strong acids
Strong acids are a type of acid that completely dissociate in water. That means they release all their available hydrogen ions (\(H^+\)) when mixed with water. This complete dissociation is what makes them 'strong'.
Common examples of strong acids include:
  • Hydrochloric Acid (\(HCl\))
  • Perchloric Acid (\(HClO_4\))
  • Hydrobromic Acid (\(HBr\))
In an aqueous solution, these acids dissociate as follows:
$$ HClO_4 (aq) \rightarrow H^+ (aq) + ClO_4^- (aq) $$
$$ HBr (aq) \rightarrow H^+ (aq) + Br^- (aq) $$
This full release of \(H^+\) ions leads to a high level of acidity in the solution.
weak acids
Weak acids only partially dissociate in water. This means that not all their molecules release hydrogen ions into the solution. As a result, the solution contains both the acid and its ions in equilibrium.
Examples of weak acids include:
  • Acetic Acid (\(CH_3COOH\))
  • Oxalic Acid (\(H_2C_2O_4\))
  • Formic Acid (\(HCOOH\))
For weak acids, the dissociation can be represented as:
$$ H_2C_2O_4 (aq) \leftrightarrow 2H^+ (aq) + C_2O_4^{2-} (aq) $$
The double-headed arrow (\(\leftrightarrow\)) indicates that the reaction is in equilibrium, meaning not all molecules convert to ions.
strong bases
Strong bases fully dissociate in water, releasing hydroxide ions (\(OH^-\)). This complete dissociation characterizes their 'strength'.
Examples of strong bases include:
  • Sodium Hydroxide (\(NaOH\))
  • Potassium Hydroxide (\(KOH\))
  • Barium Hydroxide (\(Ba(OH)_2\))
In solution, they dissociate as follows:
$$ Ba(OH)_2 (aq) \rightarrow Ba^{2+} (aq) + 2OH^- (aq) $$
This release of \(OH^-\) ions increases the alkalinity of the solution significantly.
weak bases
Weak bases only partially dissociate in water. This means that not all molecules release hydroxide ions (\(OH^-\)).
Common examples of weak bases include:
  • Ammonia (\(NH_3\))
  • Methylamine (\(CH_3NH_2\))
For instance, Ammonia dissociates in water as follows:
$$ NH_3 (aq) + H_2O (l) \leftrightarrow NH_4^+ (aq) + OH^- (aq) $$
The equilibrium symbol (\(\leftrightarrow\)) indicates that the reaction doesn’t go to completion.
ionization in water
Ionization in water refers to the process by which an acid or base splits into its ions when dissolved in water. This can differ drastically between strong and weak substances.
For strong acids and bases, ionization is complete, producing high concentrations of ions. For example:
$$ HClO_4 (aq) \rightarrow H^+ (aq) + ClO_4^- (aq) $$
Weak acids and bases only partially ionize, leading to an equilibrium mixture of molecules and ions. For instance:
$$ H_2C_2O_4 (aq) \leftrightarrow 2H^+ (aq) + C_2O_4^{2-} (aq) $$
This concept is crucial for understanding solutions' properties and behaviors in various chemical reactions.

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

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

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